This summer, students from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics discovered new avenues for professional preparation and practical hands-on experience. Lerner College students pursued an array of internships, externships and other professional development opportunities. From MBA scholars to undergraduates entering their second year at UD, students across a spectrum of Lerner programs shared their experiences accomplishing an assortment of projects.
Our “My Summer Internship” series highlights these unique experiences, showcasing how students translated classroom knowledge into real-world success.
Olga Mishenina, 4+1 MS in business analytics & information management, BS in management information systems student, spent her summer as a corporate risk internal audit summer analyst at JPMorgan Chase.
Lerner: How did you find out about this internship? Why did you pursue it?
Mishenina: I found this internship through JPMorgan’s official job search platform and pursued it because internal audit sounded interesting to me. My experience as a former Division I athlete has given me a strong background in following rules, structures, and guidelines, while my natural attention to detail aided me further to be a valuable candidate for the role.
Lerner: What was the most exciting task or project that you completed?
Mishenina: The most exciting project I worked on during my internship was contributing to the audit that my manager was leading when I joined. We audited one of JPMorgan’s businesses, which plays a significant role in the financial industry. It was an incredible experience to be involved in something so impactful, reading and interpreting the complex guidelines the business follows and conducting audit testing alongside my manager. This audit became the central, long-term project of my internship, and working side by side with my manager made it both challenging and rewarding.
Lerner: What did you learn from the internship that you think you wouldn’t have learned elsewhere?
Mishenina: One thing I learned during my internship that I don’t think I could have learned anywhere else was how internal audit works in practice within such a large, global financial institution. In school, you can study risk management, compliance, or business processes in theory but being part of an actual audit team gave me hands-on exposure to the scale, complexity, and importance of these controls.
Lerner: What is an example of a time where you were able to apply what you’ve learned at Lerner to your role?
Mishenina: Beyond the obvious technical skills like Excel that I gained at Lerner, I was able to apply the strong work ethic I developed through classes and projects. Lerner also gave me opportunities to practice networking and presenting myself professionally, which helped me build confidence when engaging with colleagues and managers at JPMorgan. In addition, the emphasis on collaboration, time management, and problem-solving in my coursework translated directly into how I approached audit tasks and contributed to my team.
Lerner: Did you face any challenges during your internship? If so, what was the issue and how did you overcome it?
Mishenina: One of the biggest challenges I faced was simply being new to audit, it was a completely unfamiliar field for me, and at first, even understanding what needed to be done felt overwhelming. To overcome this, I relied on the same approach I’ve always taken when facing something difficult: putting my head down, working hard, and staying disciplined. I asked questions when I needed clarity, took detailed notes, and made sure to learn from every task I was given. That mindset not only helped me adjust more quickly but also gave me the confidence to contribute meaningfully as I became more oriented in the role.
Lerner: What are your career plans, and how do you think the internship will push you closer to your professional goals?
Mishenina: After completing my internship, I was fortunate to receive a return offer to come back next summer, which aligns perfectly with my transition from finishing my bachelor’s degree to beginning my master’s program. A career in financial services has always been my long-term goal, and this internship has been invaluable in moving me closer to it. Not only did it give me exposure to the industry, but it also allowed me to see how the different businesses operate from the inside through the audit process.