In His Own Words: Great Experiences Sell Rappaport ’81 on Value of Student Interns and Externs

This first-person account by David Rappaport ’81 is complemented by one from Steve Frank ’08, one of the interns described in the article. Alumni-sponsored internships provide students with professional experience while giving hosts needed help in the workplace. Lafayette interns are motivated workers who bring new perspectives, fresh ideas, and positive energy. Alumni can post their internships by contacting Rachel Nelson Moeller ’88, rmoeller@alumni.lafayette.edu, (610) 330-5115. Those who can’t take interns are still encouraged to provide career services with information about available internship programs at their workplaces and how students can apply.

I start this article with its punch lines:

• If you are a Lafayette student and have an opportunity to take an internship, grab it; and
• If you are in the position to hire a Lafayette student, do it.

Let’s backtrack to the beginning. I am the CEO and president of the U.S. subsidiary of a large international financial organization. Like many of you, I received a brochure from Lafayette about four or five years ago asking me to participate in the externship program and host a Lafayette student over winter break. Admittedly, I hesitated. Could they really even begin to understand financial concepts in such a short period? Would they be able to actually engage with my colleagues? Needless to say, the externs that we hosted during the past years were wonderful additions to our staff and in the short time that they worked with us, actually completed substantive work.

As a result of our favorable experience with Lafayette undergrads, I decided to start a paid internship program for summer and winter breaks. Our first paid intern, Eric Merklinger ’05, earned the position prior to ever joining us. Notwithstanding that we had hired a Georgetown senior for the internship, Eric called regularly (incessantly) from Belgium where he was completing a semester abroad. Finally, I gave in to Eric’s calls when he returned home and interviewed him. Eric’s charm landed him a job. He spent a very productive summer drafting and filing various court and arbitration pleadings, doing document organization, preparing responsive documents to subpoenas, and completing financial and legal research. Eric was so well liked that he was given the opportunity to return to work during his Christmas break. Subsequent to his Lafayette graduation, we assisted Eric in gaining employment with a top-tier law firm in New York City. We see Eric regularly and he remains part of our work family.

Next there was Anthony Cacace ’05, a December graduate. Anthony joined us after he completed his studies at Lafayette and worked with us between graduation and his commencement at Brooklyn Law School. Once again, we had an impressive young man on board to assist us in completing some very demanding and complex projects. Anthony learned a lot about the financial services industry and we gained the benefit of his hard work and diligence. In addition, Anthony had a support team that helped him through the law school admissions process. Anthony’s brother-in-law currently works with us while attending law school.

Last year was a little different. I received a telephone call from Leslie Muhlfelder ’81 (Lafayette’s general counsel and human resources head), whom I always admired and liked. After Lafayette, Leslie and I were both in Washington attending different law schools; we had common friends. Leslie, who was teaching a class at Lafayette, called me out of the blue and asked me to hire one of her students, a young man completing his sophomore year. Although I did not hesitate to say yes — it was, after all, Leslie asking me — I was thinking that I would have my hands full educating a young student who was only a few years older than my son.

I was wrong. Steve Frank ’08, though young in years, proved to be mature and responsible well beyond them. He was assigned a complicated project involving the return of abandoned property to the relevant persons or states. It was a project that baffled many seasoned employees, and which could have easily disintegrated into a quicksand of names, addresses, and lost checks. Steve reported to work the first day full of energy, yet reserved, sporting a lot of hair. By his fourth week of employment, Steve was in control of this colossal project, had been promoted to intern manager, received a significant pay raise, fired an intern, and hired that person’s replacement. (Steve also changed his look to a conservative short haircut!)

Steve attended high-level meetings with executives from a predecessor company. When an executive arrogantly attempted to excuse certain errors that he had made and blame others, Steve firmly pointed out the flaws in that executive’s logic (I was smirking inside). Needless to say, I got what I needed from the predecessor company thanks to the directness of my intern.

My reliance on Steve’s work continued throughout the summer and after he returned to Lafayette. Members of my team called Steve at least 20 times since his departure; Steve always took the calls and answered the questions. He called me a few days ago and asked if he could work during winter break – clearly a rhetorical question. Steve was given the opportunity to make a substantive contribution at a busy Wall Street firm; he embraced the challenge, exceeding Leslie’s and my expectations.

An additional benefit to alumni who hire Lafayette undergraduates is that we get an update on life at Lafayette, including favorite professors, social life, sports, etc. This aspect is particularly enjoyable to me; I had an excellent four years — getting the details from a student’s perspective brings me right back to those years. As such, Lafayette students are sure to have opportunities with my company for years to come.