Throughout the summer and 2025-26 school year, students in UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics are comprising the initial class of the Lerner Co-op Program, a new year-long work-based learning initiative launched with a grant from the Delaware Workforce Development Board.
The program is an exclusive one-year, paid internship/co-op opportunity designed for rising juniors and seniors enrolled in Lerner College to gain meaningful work experience, develop their professional network, and apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. All while earning credits toward their degree and receiving monetary compensation from their employers.
Andrew Poggi, a senior economics major, is serving as a business operations intern for the national professional resource operations team at The Siegfried Group. In this Q&A, he details what he has learned and challenges he has faced in his role.
What made you want to apply for the Lerner Co-op Program?
Poggi: During this past spring semester, I unfortunately wasn’t getting much traction with summer internships. I was originally looking for finance-related internships, but as time went on, I decided to broaden my horizons and look for general business internships. Finding and applying for the co-op program was the best choice I could have made.
How did you learn about the opportunity, and what was the application process like?
Poggi: I first learned of the co-op simply through the different emails that would be sent to Lerner students. I attended an interest meeting and knew that’s what I wanted to try and pursue. While there were many different opportunities promoted through the co-op, this Siegfried opportunity stuck with me with its business ops role and description. It described the role as a combination of professional development as well as data analytics. With my economics major, I knew no matter what industry I went into, I wanted to pursue some sort of analytical role. The application process was very straightforward with the firm, and I had the guidance of the Lerner professionals to help me along the way.
What drew you to your specific co-op placement? Was it aligned with your major or career interests?
Poggi: I was drawn to the business operations role because I really wanted to gain general corporate experience and get my foot in the door in the business world. Although it’s not specifically aligned with my ideal career path, an opportunity is an opportunity, and I want to use this as a stepping stone for my career. I have gone into this with an open mind to maybe discovering a new role that I hadn’t previously thought of as a career path.
Can you describe your co-op experience so far? What kind of projects or responsibilities have you taken on?
Poggi: I have been working at Siegfried for a couple of weeks now, and I have loved every minute of it. The people at the firm are open, friendly, and eager to share their knowledge of the firm and industry as a whole. So far, I have been made responsible for running specific reports and then sending out biweekly emails to our managers across the country pertaining to a multitude of things. Another project I have been working on has been documenting every process our team conducts, so that if there’s a new hire, it can be easy for them to complete a process given these instructions.
What have you learned on the job that you don’t think you could have picked up in a classroom?
Poggi: Communication is key. In the classroom setting, it’s all about the books and studies. What they don’t tell you is that you have to be on top of your communication. I can remember, in my second interview for the position, the biggest thing that was emphasized was communication with the team. It is something that has been repeated to me over the past couple of weeks. As long as you are flexible and communicative with your team, you will succeed. My very first lesson on the day I started was that my calendar was going to be my best friend, and that’ll stand true for the rest of my professional career.
What are you most looking forward to in your position?
Poggi: I am most looking forward to furthering my professional experience. At Siegfried, they offer many different workshops and career development opportunities that will be beneficial to future success. They are all about achieving and setting yourself up for success. I am also ready to become much more independent in my position and prove to myself that I have what it takes to succeed in the corporate world.
What kind of support or mentorship have you received from your employer and Lerner so far?
Poggi: At Siegfried, through the internship program, I have gained my mentor to act as another support system during my time here. We meet every week to discuss anything and everything related to the firm, what I’m doing specifically, or just to answer any questions I have. Lerner was also a great support system for me during the application process. I frequently checked in with Lerner during this process, especially when I hadn’t heard anything and would get anxious. The people at Lerner did a great job of reassuring me that I was still in the running for the role and not to give up hope. I credit some of my success to the folks at Lerner.
What advantages do you see for a long-term placement like this, compared to the traditional college internship?
Poggi: The long-term placement is ideal because, in a way, it’s an extended test to see if you fit in that role post-college. It will be a good test of balancing work and school throughout the year. It may push me to my limits a bit, but at the same time, it’s great for growth. My hope is that with this long-term placement, I can give myself the best chances to secure a post-graduate position at the firm.
What do you hope to gain from this internship?
Poggi: I hope to gain the knowledge and experience of being in a corporate environment for an extended period of time. I hope to mature even further professionally, so for that post-graduate experience, I know what is expected of me.
How do you think this experience will inform your future career goals/aspirations?
Poggi: I am open-minded about this role, and I do think that I could switch career paths/aspirations if I find a new business opportunity that is better suited for me.
What would you tell other students who are considering applying for the co-op program?
Poggi: Go for it! It doesn’t matter what year you are or what industry you are looking to go into, the co-op is a great way to get long-term experience and really grow yourself as a whole.
How do you think this program reflects on Lerner’s commitment to career readiness and experiential learning?
Poggi: It is a testament to Lerner’s commitment to helping undergraduate students gain professional experience and to helping them set themselves up for success in the future. Without this opportunity, I would’ve been back home working at a restaurant, but instead, I am furthering my education and career development.
What has been the biggest surprise, challenge, and/or unexpected aspect of the co-op experience so far?
Poggi: The biggest challenge I faced was being uncomfortable in this new environment at first. It is unlike a classroom setting, which I am only used to. It only took me getting through the first week of work to feel comfortable and settle in. I find this new environment better than a classroom setting, and I think it nurtures growth.