Merchants Welcomes Seven Summer Interns
This summer, Merchants Insurance Group welcomed seven interns to our corporate headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Our paid summer internship program provides students with real-world, hands-on learning opportunities in their field of interest as they work alongside Merchants colleagues.
2024 summer interns included:
- Ammar Algaithy, IT Intern
- Olivia Helwig, Internal Audit Intern
- Katharine Mayer, Actuarial Intern
- Shelby Moorhouse, Corporate Claims Intern
- Zachary Siwiec, IT Intern
- Emma Sliwa, IT Intern
- Anthony Szykowny, IT Intern
2024 Summer Intern Spotlight
See what some of our interns had to say about spending the summer with Merchants!
Ammar Algaithy, IT Intern
School: Canisius University
Major/Program: Computer Science and Data Science
Year: Class of 2024
Ammar said:
“I want to extend my gratitude to Merchants Insurance Group and my incredible team for the invaluable experience during my internship. Their guidance, support, and encouragement have been truly inspiring, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to contribute and learn alongside such talented professionals. This experience has been instrumental in my growth, and I am grateful for the chance to have been a part of such a dynamic and supportive team. Thank you for making this internship memorable and rewarding.”
Olivia Helwig, Internal Audit Intern
School: Canisius University
Major/Program: B.S. & M.S. in Accounting and Accounting Systems and Analytics, minor in music
Year: Class of 2025
Olivia said:
“Being able to work at Merchants has been a wonderful experience and I enjoyed every moment. While at Merchants I have been able to assist on projects other auditors are working on and have been able to attend meetings with outside auditors to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. I have also had the opportunity to work on my own project which I was able to showcase in meetings to upper management colleagues which was a great learning experience. Merchants has a very welcoming and supportive environment that I find is very important in a company and am so grateful for the opportunities it has given me!”
Katharine Mayer, Actuarial Intern
School: University at Buffalo
Major/Program: Master of Science in Business Analytics
Katharine said:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at Merchants. From my first week here I was immediately contributing to projects and felt like I was doing meaningful work. The actuarial team (and the company as a whole) has been beyond supportive and I am very grateful for the opportunity to have learned from them. I will continue to look for the qualities of Merchants in other companies that I may work for throughout my professional career. Many thanks to Rob Tromans and Ben Walden for leading such a great department and developing an amazing internship for me!”
Shelby Moorhouse, Claims Intern
School: State University of New York at Fredonia
Major/Program: Early Childhood Education, concentration in mathematics
Year: Class of 2026
Shelby said:
“This summer, I had the opportunity to work as a Corporate Claims Intern doing data entry focusing on one large claim. I was tasked with reviewing hundreds of complaints and adding the suit and claimant details to a spreadsheet. Since Complaints are still being received, Merchants offered to extend my internship. I am excited to stay on for as long as I’m needed.
I enjoyed the opportunity to work at Merchants in such a friendly and professional environment. I enjoyed working with all of my colleagues and even seeing some familiar faces from when I visited as a child.”
Zachary Siwiec, IT Intern
School: Fairfield University
Major/Program: Finance
Year: Class of 2026
Zachary said:
“My time here has been nothing but positive. I have gained invaluable knowledge and experience thanks to my amazing team and the supportive environment around me. Working alongside other interns has been particularly beneficial, as we were able to collaborate on several tasks and projects.”
Emma Sliwa, IT Intern
School: University of Tampa
Major/Program: Finance
Year: Class of 2025
Emma said:
“Since my first day at Merchants, I’ve felt welcomed. The supportive atmosphere and flexible work environment make it an excellent place to work. As an IT Intern, I was able to expand my knowledge beyond my academic focus, gaining a background in IT. Additionally, collaborating with the finance department has broadened my career horizon. Working with everyone here at Merchants has been a pleasure, and I believe this experience will benefit me in the future.”
Thank you to our interns for all of your contributions this summer, and best of luck in the upcoming school year and your future careers!
Charles Makey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Insurance Group, and Kelly Julius, Vice President of Human Resources, invited the summer interns to lunch at Pearl Street Grill, located across the street from Merchants’ corporate headquarters in downtown Buffalo, New York.
Interested in an internship or career at Merchants Insurance Group? Browse our Careers page to learn what opportunities are available now!
