In just over a year, the University of Delaware’s Lerner Co-op Program transformed an ambitious concept into a thriving talent pipeline, bringing together 25 pioneering students and representatives from 21 Delaware companies for a celebratory luncheon at CSC Station in Wilmington this August.
“Last July, we had a meeting in Scott’s (Malfatano, chair of the Delaware Workforce Development Board) office, we talked about this program and said let’s do this,” Lerner College Dean Oliver Yao said at the event.
“A year later, we’re standing here with 21 companies and 25 students in the program. That’s amazing. The credit goes to Scott’s leadership, as well as the Board, for their support and leadership. Lerner’s team has also done a wonderful job getting this program running. It’s been great to work together.”
The program, launched with a grant from the Board, has placed students from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics in paid roles with companies throughout the state as part of a year-long work-based initiative. The students work full-time during the summer and winter breaks, scaling back to part-time hours during the academic year while managing their course load.
Anastasia Lynch, a senior business analytics major who is serving as a talent acquisition and total rewards intern with WSFS Bank since June, has enjoyed her experience so far.
“It’s been great, I’m doing a lot of compensation analysis and benchmarking, seeing what our competitors are paying for salaries and those grade structures,” she said.
Herb Broadwater, assistant vice president for recruiting program lead at WSFS, called Lynch “fabulous.”
“She’s my tech guru,” he said. “I’m the idea guy, but when it comes to data, I know what I want but not how to get there.” Broadwater explained that Lynch is able to interpret the data to create compelling charts for him to present to executive leadership.
Lynch, who is taking six classes this fall while working 25 hours a week at the bank, prefers the longer duration of the program.
“A typical internship is only 10 or 12 weeks, but the Lerner Co-op is through the semester, so it’s good to learn how to balance the job with my workload at school.”
Broadwater agreed, noting this was an excellent opportunity for WSFS to bring in someone over an extended period.
“Usually, our interns are with us from June until August, so you’re cramming in projects, and by the time you brainstorm and get a workflow going, it’s time for them to go back to school. So this is a great opportunity,” he said.
Andrew Poggi, a senior economics major working as an intern on the My Journey operations team with The Siegfried Group, also jumped on the opportunity.
“It’s been great, I’ve gained a lot of experience in corporate settings,” said Poggi. He is in charge of weekly emails, running surveys and data, conducting analytical projects, and refreshing data from old files.
“So it’s a lot on the analytical side, and then just the basic business side as well.”
Like Lynch, Poggi is also looking forward to balancing work and school life this fall. He will be capped at 20 hours and will be working three to five days a week at Siegfried during the semester.
“The summer was just work, but now I have to focus on two things. It’s going to be a really good test,” he said.
Sophia Cressman, a 2025 UD graduate and peer liaison of the intern program on the My Journey operations team, said that Siegfried was excited about continuing its partnership with UD.
“We’ve had a strong relationship with the University of Delaware already; most of our interns have come from UD and they’ve always had great talent applicants,” she said. “So when they reached out about the co-op, we were excited because the long-term aspect has proven for the interns to learn more and have a more meaningful experience.
“They learn a lot more and they’re more invested, and who doesn’t want to be a part of something that’s new and exciting?”
Allie Schaab, manager of National Professional Resource Operations at Siegfried, agreed that the duration of the internship will help Poggi integrate more with the company.
Schaab said that Poggi sends out a company-wide email each Monday, a great way for him to get integrated into the team and communicate with other supervisors across the firm.
“He’s been reviewing our finances and budget, so we’re helping him get experience in those areas as well,” Schaab said. “We’re increasing his responsibilities along the way, which is something that wouldn’t happen in a short-term internship.”
The early experiences of students like Lynch and Poggi have been encouraging to both Lerner and Workforce Board staff, and they are anticipating growing the program in the years ahead.
“The program’s success is a direct reflection of the Delaware business community’s commitment to developing future leaders and our students’ willingness to embrace meaningful work experiences,” said Brandon White, Lerner Career Services co-op program coordinator. “Together, we’ve built a strong foundation that not only benefits students but also creates a lasting bridge between early talent and employers in our state.
“We’re excited to build on this momentum and continue strengthening those connections in the years ahead.”