Life Changing Internship At The Brennan Center for Justice

Allison Fremer, a student in the Verrazano Class of 2017, was selected for a competitive internship at the Brennan Center for Justice for Summer 2014.  Here, Allison shares her experience and the opportunities she's had through this internship.

Allison at the Brennan Center for Justice

My name is Allison Fremer, and I’m an Accounting major in the School of Business at the College of Staten Island and a member of the Verrazano Class of 2017.  I am currently a Finance and Operations Intern at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law, where my title is “Junior Accountant.”  I heard about this paid internship opportunity through Joanne Hollan, Associate Director of the Career and Scholarship Center, and Katie Geschwendt, Associate Director of The Verrazano School Honors Program,   Eager to start exploring the workforce, I decided to apply. The application review process was highly competitive. Despite this obstacle, my online resume was one of the top ten finalists.  Then, phone interviews eventually narrowed down the competition to five candidates, including myself. The potential interns were called in for a one-on-one interview at the Brennan Center.  I found out several weeks later that I had landed the internship opportunity.  Believe me, I know it’s a difficult decision choosing between going out with your friends or going to work.  However, I firmly believe that the internship was one of the best decisions I have made. 

The Brennan Center for Justice is located on the Avenue of the Americas in Soho, where there are numerous activities and a large assortment of places to eat.  Through this internship, I’m given a wide variety of tasks including, but certainly not limited to, entering accounts payable invoices, preparing Microsoft Excel spreadsheets in uploadable formats, depositing checks from contributions, maintaining the credit cards for employees, and making adjustments to the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.  The hands-on approach that the Brennan Center has provided me throughout my stay is teaching me in ways that go far beyond what is learned through a textbook.

This internship opportunity has changed my perspective in unimaginable ways and I am excited to continue learning more in the future.  As an intern at the Brennan Center for Justice, I've become more knowledgeable about what is associated with my chosen career path. During the summer, I was offered an extension to my internship, and I made the life-changing decision to continue there during the fall semester.  

Allison with her fellow interns on a break

The professional work environment and being surrounded with positivity has encouraged me to better myself. I have met many intelligent individuals that I will keep in close contact with for a lifetime.  The interns have made a conscious effort to put aside at least one day a week where we eat together to form a bond with one another.  I’ve opened my eyes to cuisines of many cultures that I would have never tried if it wasn’t for my fellow coworkers.

The Brennan Center for Justice has many events including “Brown Bags,” where prominent guest speakers talk. My personal favorite was Andrew Weissmann.  Other events include: “Bagel Tuesdays” where we have a conference with the D.C. office staff members, “Pizza Thursdays”, “Trivia” & “Game Nights”.  The annual barbecue at the home of President Michael Waldman and the annual picnic at McGowan Park in Brooklyn were also among the list of events. 

I’ve learned so much through this internship, and I encourage other Verrazano students to find internships that will help them gain very valuable experience.