This summer, Merchants Insurance Group welcomed six interns to our corporate headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Our paid internship program provides students with real-world, hands-on learning opportunities in their field of interest as they work alongside Merchants colleagues for the summer.
This year’s summer interns included:
- Caleb Ayers, Actuarial Intern
- Joseph (Joe) Bartlett, Corporate Underwriting Intern
- Aishwarya Halvagal Veeresh, Technology Management Intern
- Fyrose Nower, Enterprise Tech Services Intern
- Adam Rizzo, IT Business Services Intern
- Aaron Sinica, Actuarial Intern
2023 Summer Intern Spotlight
See what our interns had to say about their experiences this summer!
Caleb Ayers, Actuarial Intern
Caleb Ayers studies applied mathematics at the University at Buffalo. This summer, he worked as an Actuarial Intern, reporting to Rob Tromans (Analytics & Data Reporting Supervisor).
Caleb said:
“My experience this summer has allowed me to learn about SQL, Power BI, and Excel, which are in high demand currently. It also familiarized me skills relevant to any future business role I might encounter, and it especially taught me what it means to be an actuary.”
Joseph (Joe) Bartlett, Corporate Underwriting Intern
Corporate Underwriting Intern Joe Bartlett is a rising senior at the University at Buffalo, where he majors in business with a concentration in management information systems. This summer, Joe reported to Joe Meyer (Senior Vice President of Underwriting, Product Management, and Corporate Programs).
Joe said:
“Interning at Merchants Insurance Group this summer has been a wonderful experience! I have learned a lot about an industry that I was unfamiliar with prior to this summer. Additionally, I have had many opportunities to learn practical skills and develop as a professional in a very welcoming environment. I have really enjoyed getting to know the team on the 5th floor and have met a lot of intelligent and kind people. I would like to thank Merchants Insurance Group for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to learn from the many hardworking professionals within the company.”
Aishwarya Halvagal Veeresh, Technology Management Intern
Aishwarya Halvagal Veeresh is a graduate student at the University at Buffalo, where she studies data science. This summer, Aishwarya worked with Umesh Mallya (Manager, Document Integration & BI) in Merchants’ Information Technology department as a Technology Management Intern.
Aishwarya said:
“I cherish the invaluable experience of working in this amazing firm, where I received abundant knowledge and had incredible mentors guiding me and the opportunity to meet remarkable individuals. This experience has laid a strong foundation, and I eagerly look forward to embracing the next amazing opportunity that comes my way.”
Fyrose Nower, Enterprise Tech Services Intern
Fyrose Nower worked as an Enterprise Tech Services Intern this summer, reporting to Ja’Lisa Servio (Supervisor, IT Support). She attends the University at Buffalo, where she studies information technology management. This fall, Fyrose will be a senior.
Fyrose said:
“I absolutely cherished my time here at Merchants – a place filled with supportive and collaborative colleagues, an excellent equilibrium between work and personal life, and a truly immersive hands-on experience in the realm of IT. Throughout my tenure as an IT Intern, I’ve been fortunate to partake in an opportunity that set my summer apart from many of my peers. This internship has been an enlightening journey, introducing me to novel facets of IT that were previously unbeknownst to me, and enabling me to apply the knowledge I’ve gained during my initial year of ITM major. My projects spanned a wide spectrum, from troubleshooting intricate software glitches to creating new network connections on a new floor and even delving into projects related to migration to a new email system. But my highlight of the internship was being acknowledged through a ‘Cause for Applause’ nomination for my work.”
Adam Rizzo, IT Business Services Intern
Adam Rizzo, a rising senior, spent his summer with Merchants working as an IT Business Services Intern, reporting to Alex Tsakiris (Business Solutions Architect). He majors in management information systems and finance at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Adam said:
“I have enjoyed the time I have spent as an intern for Merchants. I have learned a lot from the people here in a short time. It has been great to get a close-up look at the operations of the IT department during my summer here at Merchants.”
Aaron Sinica, Actuarial Intern
Aaron Sinica spent the summer as an Actuarial Intern at Merchants, reporting to Megan Hagner (Corporate Actuary). This fall, Aaron begins his final year at Daemen University, where he majors in mathematics.
Aaron said:
“My time at Merchants has been an eye-opening one filled with interesting and novel experiences that have changed my perspective on insurance and the corporate world as a whole. Working in the Actuarial department has been a blessing in that the employees are all friendly and are always willing to extend a helping hand when I have questions. Seeing firsthand the amount of collaboration and communication needed to make impactful decisions within the company has given me new respect for the employees here and for the world of insurance. I am also impressed with the level of flexibility that Merchants offers its employees with respect to the option of working from home certain days, summer hours, benefits and time off that not many other companies offer. Overall I believe my internship with Merchants this summer has been a great experience that I intend to value and carry with me into my future career.”
Thank you to our interns for all of your contributions this summer, and best of luck in the upcoming school year!
Each year, Charles Makey, President of Merchants Insurance Group, and Kelly Julius, Vice President of Human Resources, invite our summer interns to lunch at Pearl Street Grill, located across the street from our corporate headquarters. From left: Charles Makey, Caleb Ayers, Aaron Sinica, Joe Bartlett, and Kelly Julius.
Interested in an internship or career at Merchants Insurance Group? Browse our Careers page to learn what opportunities are available now!
