This past summer, two Upper Division students -- Audrey Carbonell '23 and Elise Kang '24 -- spent eight weeks learning about the inner workings of state government in their roles as interns for the Office of the New York State Inspector General (OIG). They were selected for the OIG’s 2023 Summer Internship Program from a pool of hundreds of qualified high school, college, and law student applicants.  

 

Audrey and Elise were each assigned to one of the OIG’s six offices located across the state – Audrey to the Gaming Oversight Division and Elise to the Audit Division. Both students worked very closely seasoned attorneys and investigative auditors to review data sets, analyze financial data, and conduct in-depth research in the areas of forensic audit and gaming. At the end of the internship, Audrey and Elise were required to make a presentation on their work to the entire office. As Jack Wild, the OIG’s Director of External Affairs, reflected, “It was clear that both Audrey and Elise possessed analytical skills, insight, and integrity well beyond their years.”

 

During the internship, Audrey and Elise participated in several field trips throughout New York State. Some of the most memorable were the visits to New York State bridges, which are maintained and overseen by the New York State Bridge Authority. (The New York State Bridge Authority is a state agency that is led by Executive Director Dr. Minosca Alcántara, who is the parent of three HM graduates.) One memorable field trip stopped off at the Bear Mountain Bridge, the oldest of the New York State Bridge Authority’s structures, which will celebrate its centennial in 2024. Accompanying the students on the trip was Dr. Alcántara and New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang (a current Horace Mann parent), who is charged with preventing and investigating corruption, waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct in state government, New York's social services programs, and the Workers' Compensation System.

 

The internship offered Audrey and Elise countless opportunities to integrate their classroom knowledge with real-world situations, learn about the inner workings of state government, develop analytic and advocacy skills, and hone their research and writing abilities. They found the internships through HM’s Summer Internship Program, which is jointly administered by the Alumni Office and a representative from the Parents Association.

 

If you, your company, or an organization you are aware of would like to learn more about offering a summer position to an HM graduate or current student, please click  here.