Gillian Kehs
Actuarial Science Summer 2019
Role
Actuarial Intern
Location
Radnor, PA
When did you work there?
Summer 2019
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I worked on ad hoc projects for various members of the Retirement team at Aon. An actuary would hand off work to me when they had excess that they thought I could handle. They would sit down with me to explain the task and help with any questions I had. While working, I could message them at any time if I needed help, and they would always make time to sit down and take a look at it with me. All work that I completed was reviewed by an actuary and then sent to the client!
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
Our mentor sat down with us every Friday to catch up and see if we needed help with anything. He was someone we could always go to for questions on projects or the internship program.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, I think Intro to Risk and Theory of Interest both helped me during my internship. Risk gave me good background on subjects like longevity risk that relate to the Retirement industry. Theory of Interest was very helpful because I understood things like interest rates and annuities which we dealt with every day.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I interviewed with Aon Retirement at the Career Reception, and then they contacted me for an on-site interview. The on-site interview was basically a half day. There were five 30 minute long interviews followed by a lunch. A few weeks after this, they called me to offer the job! I accepted sometime in October.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
I worked on a special project with two colleagues to redesign a retirement savings program for a client. I worked to check and create formulas in Excel which modeled design options for the client's employees. I also got to attend two client meetings on-site to discuss the options we created!
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
We were taken out to lunch a few times by various colleagues, and we did one happy hour. We also had a summer BBQ where we went to a colleague's house and got the afternoon off!
Describe the company's internship program
I loved the atmosphere of the office. It is open concept (no cubicles) and there are huddle rooms to work on projects together. The work load was very busy, but I liked that because I was never bored. We would have office meetings every Tuesday to discuss who was very busy and who had extra time and could take on some work.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, and I learned so much more than I could have imagined! During the interview process, I asked what kind of projects I might be working on, and they told me they had no idea. That was the truth! I like working in consulting because you never know what kind of project you are going to get, and you can work on multiple things at once. It is fast paced and interesting work.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Nope, just the weekends and the Fourth of July holiday!
Actuarial Intern
Location
Radnor, PA
When did you work there?
Summer 2019
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I worked on ad hoc projects for various members of the Retirement team at Aon. An actuary would hand off work to me when they had excess that they thought I could handle. They would sit down with me to explain the task and help with any questions I had. While working, I could message them at any time if I needed help, and they would always make time to sit down and take a look at it with me. All work that I completed was reviewed by an actuary and then sent to the client!
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
Our mentor sat down with us every Friday to catch up and see if we needed help with anything. He was someone we could always go to for questions on projects or the internship program.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, I think Intro to Risk and Theory of Interest both helped me during my internship. Risk gave me good background on subjects like longevity risk that relate to the Retirement industry. Theory of Interest was very helpful because I understood things like interest rates and annuities which we dealt with every day.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I interviewed with Aon Retirement at the Career Reception, and then they contacted me for an on-site interview. The on-site interview was basically a half day. There were five 30 minute long interviews followed by a lunch. A few weeks after this, they called me to offer the job! I accepted sometime in October.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
I worked on a special project with two colleagues to redesign a retirement savings program for a client. I worked to check and create formulas in Excel which modeled design options for the client's employees. I also got to attend two client meetings on-site to discuss the options we created!
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
We were taken out to lunch a few times by various colleagues, and we did one happy hour. We also had a summer BBQ where we went to a colleague's house and got the afternoon off!
Describe the company's internship program
I loved the atmosphere of the office. It is open concept (no cubicles) and there are huddle rooms to work on projects together. The work load was very busy, but I liked that because I was never bored. We would have office meetings every Tuesday to discuss who was very busy and who had extra time and could take on some work.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, and I learned so much more than I could have imagined! During the interview process, I asked what kind of projects I might be working on, and they told me they had no idea. That was the truth! I like working in consulting because you never know what kind of project you are going to get, and you can work on multiple things at once. It is fast paced and interesting work.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Nope, just the weekends and the Fourth of July holiday!
Emma Sweeney
Actuarial Science Summer 2019
|
Role
Health Solutions Actuarial Intern
Location
Philadelphia
When did you work there?
Summer 2019
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science Provide a general description of the work at your internship. I was able to work on a variety of client teams and projects throughout the summer. Some of these projects were monthly dashboard reports, IBNP reserves, and actuarial value calculations for various health plans. I was also fortunate enough to participate in three client meetings throughout the summer, helping the client to set employer subsidies and employee contributions for their employees around the country.
Did you have a mentor? Yes If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
My mentor assigned much of my day to day work and helped to make sure I was able to work on a variety of projects this summer by connecting me with other members of our team. He also helped to manage my workflow to ensure I wasn't being assigned too much work or too little.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes. Having basic knowledge of actuarial concepts and basic employee benefits terminology was extremely helpful
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I interviewed first at the career reception and then at the Aon Philadelphia office with 4 members of the actuarial team.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
Yes, I gave a presentation about my experience at Aon at the end of the summer. The topic was completely up to me, my mentor, and my manager, so I presented on the work I did for the client meetings I got to attend since I had a pretty unique opportunity. This summer, the final presentations in the Philadelphia office were turned into a competition between all 10 interns across all our lines of business.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay? (Internship Lunches, Housing, Sports Games, Happy Hours, etc.)
Happy hours, lunches with coworkers, lots of Aon swag
Describe the company's internship program (atmosphere, work load, work, housing, outside work activities, etc.).
The program is a 10 week internship. I generally worked from 8:30-5 each day, but stayed late/left early a few times depending on what was needed. The program requires you to be pretty independent and reach out to other members of your team when you need work to do, but everyone on the team is very friendly and helpful. I was always busy, but never felt overwhelmed by my workload. You are told to think of the internship as a trial run of working full time for Aon, and that is exactly what it was like.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes it was. I was told throughout the process that Aon gives interns real work, and that was exactly how it felt. The work that I did this summer was all used for our clients, and I felt like I was a valued member of the team.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Yes, we had off the 4th and 5th of July. Interns at Aon don't always have off the 5th, but did this year because it was a Friday.
Health Solutions Actuarial Intern
Location
Philadelphia
When did you work there?
Summer 2019
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science Provide a general description of the work at your internship. I was able to work on a variety of client teams and projects throughout the summer. Some of these projects were monthly dashboard reports, IBNP reserves, and actuarial value calculations for various health plans. I was also fortunate enough to participate in three client meetings throughout the summer, helping the client to set employer subsidies and employee contributions for their employees around the country.
Did you have a mentor? Yes If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
My mentor assigned much of my day to day work and helped to make sure I was able to work on a variety of projects this summer by connecting me with other members of our team. He also helped to manage my workflow to ensure I wasn't being assigned too much work or too little.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes. Having basic knowledge of actuarial concepts and basic employee benefits terminology was extremely helpful
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I interviewed first at the career reception and then at the Aon Philadelphia office with 4 members of the actuarial team.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
Yes, I gave a presentation about my experience at Aon at the end of the summer. The topic was completely up to me, my mentor, and my manager, so I presented on the work I did for the client meetings I got to attend since I had a pretty unique opportunity. This summer, the final presentations in the Philadelphia office were turned into a competition between all 10 interns across all our lines of business.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay? (Internship Lunches, Housing, Sports Games, Happy Hours, etc.)
Happy hours, lunches with coworkers, lots of Aon swag
Describe the company's internship program (atmosphere, work load, work, housing, outside work activities, etc.).
The program is a 10 week internship. I generally worked from 8:30-5 each day, but stayed late/left early a few times depending on what was needed. The program requires you to be pretty independent and reach out to other members of your team when you need work to do, but everyone on the team is very friendly and helpful. I was always busy, but never felt overwhelmed by my workload. You are told to think of the internship as a trial run of working full time for Aon, and that is exactly what it was like.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes it was. I was told throughout the process that Aon gives interns real work, and that was exactly how it felt. The work that I did this summer was all used for our clients, and I felt like I was a valued member of the team.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Yes, we had off the 4th and 5th of July. Interns at Aon don't always have off the 5th, but did this year because it was a Friday.
Maddie Bixler
Actuarial Science Summer 2018
|
Role
Actuarial Intern
Location
Radnor, PA
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial science, Minor in MIS
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Assisted in creating disclosure reports, sat in on workshops, attended a client meeting
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
My manager met with me weekly to discuss any questions I had and helped me get work from other employees.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, I felt mostly prepared. I was working in retirement so there was a lot to learn there, but modeling had covered some of the material.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
Very long interview day
Were you assigned any special projects?
End of the internship presentation
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Happy hours, housing, lunches
Describe the company's internship program.
Relaxed, supportive, collaborative, I was not given much work
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
I wish I had been given more work
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
We were allowed to leave early on 7/3 and were paid for the time. Otherwise if I was sick or had an appointment I would not have been paid.
Actuarial Intern
Location
Radnor, PA
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial science, Minor in MIS
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Assisted in creating disclosure reports, sat in on workshops, attended a client meeting
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
My manager met with me weekly to discuss any questions I had and helped me get work from other employees.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, I felt mostly prepared. I was working in retirement so there was a lot to learn there, but modeling had covered some of the material.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
Very long interview day
Were you assigned any special projects?
End of the internship presentation
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Happy hours, housing, lunches
Describe the company's internship program.
Relaxed, supportive, collaborative, I was not given much work
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
I wish I had been given more work
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
We were allowed to leave early on 7/3 and were paid for the time. Otherwise if I was sick or had an appointment I would not have been paid.
Dan Coyle
Risk Management Summer 2018
|
Role
Health and Benefits Intern
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
RMI, Econ (minor)
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Helped client teams with data collection and management, often also producing slide decks and other client tools.
Did you have a mentor?
No
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
Clear structure and communication from Aon. Casual interview.
Were you assigned any special projects?
Intern project - "What did you learn over the summer?" (presentation)
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Lunches, Happy Hour, Picnic
Describe the company's internship program.
Busy but approachable workers, mix of young and middle aged workers, informal approach to intern socialization Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, mostly
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
July 4th - hourly pay managed informally
Health and Benefits Intern
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
RMI, Econ (minor)
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Helped client teams with data collection and management, often also producing slide decks and other client tools.
Did you have a mentor?
No
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
Clear structure and communication from Aon. Casual interview.
Were you assigned any special projects?
Intern project - "What did you learn over the summer?" (presentation)
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Lunches, Happy Hour, Picnic
Describe the company's internship program.
Busy but approachable workers, mix of young and middle aged workers, informal approach to intern socialization Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, mostly
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
July 4th - hourly pay managed informally
Edward Gruchacz
Risk Management Summer 2018
|
Role
Life Sciences Intern
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
RMI
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Contract reviews, ad hoc projects, loss runs
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
Weekly check ins, delegated work
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
3 rounds, great practice / experience
Were you assigned any special projects?
Yes; Penn, deerland, omni life sciences, intern presentation, punitive damages reference guide
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Carrier lunches, carrier softball, family fun day, de-stress event, ISOP events
Describe the company's internship program.
Very welcoming, laid back structure, strong culture, freedom to pursue areas of interest, lots of career advice
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, interview highlighted the need to be proactive and curious in work environment
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Yes, 4th of july + 2 days of vacation requested
Life Sciences Intern
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
RMI
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Contract reviews, ad hoc projects, loss runs
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
Weekly check ins, delegated work
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
3 rounds, great practice / experience
Were you assigned any special projects?
Yes; Penn, deerland, omni life sciences, intern presentation, punitive damages reference guide
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Carrier lunches, carrier softball, family fun day, de-stress event, ISOP events
Describe the company's internship program.
Very welcoming, laid back structure, strong culture, freedom to pursue areas of interest, lots of career advice
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, interview highlighted the need to be proactive and curious in work environment
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Yes, 4th of july + 2 days of vacation requested
Ryan Klapatch
Actuarial Science Summer 2018
|
Role
Actuarial Intern
Location
New York, New York
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I really enjoyed my internship with Aon. Each day, it felt like I had control over the work I performed as an intern. Generally, I would come in and work on an assignment that was assigned to me the previous day, or I would work on a long term project assigned to me earlier in the summer. At Aon in Health in Benefits, you do not have a small team, so you get to work with all of your Health and Benefits colleagues at some point during the summer. At first, I asked for work through my manager, but by the end of the summer, many of my colleagues would contact me directly to assign me work. In the New York office, there are about 50 people working in the Health and Benefits space. I also got to meet many people from many of Aon's segments during the summer. The interns would participate in weekly "Free for Coffee" sessions with executives from different departments and also were able to attend "Breakfast with the Best" speaker series. At the end of the summer, the interns also were able to attend a breakfast Q&A with Aon's US Executive Committee. In the middle of the summer, we also moved from the former office at 199 Water Street to the new office at One Liberty Plaza.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
I had one mentor in Health and Benefits during my internship, but many of my other colleagues were excellent resources for growth. My mentor always assisted me with any projects I needed help on, reviewed my progress throughout the summer, and helped me make my decision to return to Aon full time. My mentor was Aon's Actuarial Health and Benefits intern the previous summer, so it was incredibly beneficial to have her advice the entire summer. My mentor also attended many of Aon's intern-mentor social events with me.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
I think my RMI and AS classes helped prepare me for the internship, but I think my role as a Gamma officer actually prepared me even more. Working at a brokerage and specifically in the consultant space demands professionalism and time management, and I found that Gamma helped fine-tune these skills before my internship. My RMI classes helped me determine what different terms such as PPO, HMO, and HDHP were, and my AS classes taught me elementary techniques to setting reserves.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
The interview process with Aon was enjoyable, transparent, and fast. My first interview was a phone interview with the Campus Recruiter in Chicago. The phone call was about 20 minutes long, and she moved me on to a second, on-site interview in New York while on the same call. About a week later, I interviewed on-site with 4 interviewers, each 30 minutes in length. The first interviewer was very conversational but asked me technical questions. The next 3 interviews all were conversational in nature. While each of the interviewers held senior roles in the organization, I felt very welcome and appreciated. The interview was on a Friday morning, and I received the offer from Aon the next Tuesday afternoon (2 business days).
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
Working in the consulting space resulted in many different projects throughout the summer. Most of my work consisted of me running several iterations of simple Actuarial Value models, but there were a few occasions in which I had special projects not normally assigned to interns. The week of the 4th of July, many of the analysts and VPs were out of the office, so I got to set premiums and contributions for a prospect client. I reported directly to the SVP who led the client team, and the work was about 4 days long. In addition, Aon's end-of-summer presentation is entirely open ended, and interns can present on anything they wish to. I did a mock stewardship presentation on benchmarking for one of the clients I worked on during the summer, and I presented it to over 30 people in the Health and Benefits practice.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
There were a few supplemental benefits. Aon's New York office offers a housing stipend to actuarial interns. We also had several different social events inside and outside the office. We were invited to a networking event with Zurich held in the Zurich offices in 4 World Trade Center, participated in New York's Pride Parade, visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, went to a New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, and had a day with gelato for the interns. We also had a bi-weekly speaker series where Aon executives in New York spoke to the intern class, and breakfast was provided. During the last week of the internship, the Executive Board of Aon visited New York, and the interns got to meet CEOs of different divisions at Aon.
Describe the company's internship program.
The atmosphere in the New York City office was interesting due to a change in offices in the middle of my internship. When I arrived, Aon's office was located at 199 Water Street in the Seaport District. The office was very close to the seaport, and the seaport was a great place to hang out during lunch with fellow interns. Inside, the office had tall cubicles with many external offices occupied by Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents. During my 7th week of the internship, we moved offices to One Liberty Plaza, which is on Broadway in the Financial District. The office at One Liberty Plaza was much closer to the subway station, and the office was state of the art. All employees received new and updated technology, and our new desks were adjustable and allowed employees to either sit down or stand up. Each employee had two identical computer screens for work, and the new office was an open concept with very few offices. Senior managers occupied the same space as entry level analysts.
I felt that each person at Aon was very collaborative and helpful, regardless of title or seniority. Senior Vice Presidents would take time out of their day to discuss health care trends, problems with claims data, or questions about professional goals. Actuaries and non-actuaries worked together on a regular basis, and it allowed me to learn more about the health insurance industry and see multiple perspectives. During intern networking events, I often was able to discuss career goals with some of the brokers, and the brokers discussed their goals as well. I learned a lot about the brokerage business, and I felt that it made me a well-rounded intern.
I think to succeed as an intern at a consultant like Aon, interns need to take the time to perform a high level of work early on and can't be afraid to seek out work themselves. If you can prove to your manager and other managers you are capable of performing at a high level, they will not hesitate to send work your way.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
The internship was much better than I expected during the interview process. I did not expect the level of help from Senior Vice Presidents that I received on a daily basis, and I did not expect everyone to be so knowledgeable about different events. I also thought it was extremely beneficial to intern at a brokerage because I learned a lot about Risk Management as well. I was the only Actuarial Intern in Health and Benefits, and I felt as though everyone treated me as a little brother and wanted me to succeed. I think there were many more opportunities for professional growth at Aon in New York compared to working at a carrier in Philadelphia.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
I received 3 days off during the summer, but 2 of them were a bit unexpected. The only holiday during the summer was the 4th of July. This was not a paid holiday for interns, as they are working hourly. I also was let out early one day due to an electric fire in the old office at 199 Water Street. The day we moved to One Liberty Plaza, my manager gave me option of either taking a day off or working. Since I loved working at Aon so much, I decided to work from home.
Actuarial Intern
Location
New York, New York
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I really enjoyed my internship with Aon. Each day, it felt like I had control over the work I performed as an intern. Generally, I would come in and work on an assignment that was assigned to me the previous day, or I would work on a long term project assigned to me earlier in the summer. At Aon in Health in Benefits, you do not have a small team, so you get to work with all of your Health and Benefits colleagues at some point during the summer. At first, I asked for work through my manager, but by the end of the summer, many of my colleagues would contact me directly to assign me work. In the New York office, there are about 50 people working in the Health and Benefits space. I also got to meet many people from many of Aon's segments during the summer. The interns would participate in weekly "Free for Coffee" sessions with executives from different departments and also were able to attend "Breakfast with the Best" speaker series. At the end of the summer, the interns also were able to attend a breakfast Q&A with Aon's US Executive Committee. In the middle of the summer, we also moved from the former office at 199 Water Street to the new office at One Liberty Plaza.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
I had one mentor in Health and Benefits during my internship, but many of my other colleagues were excellent resources for growth. My mentor always assisted me with any projects I needed help on, reviewed my progress throughout the summer, and helped me make my decision to return to Aon full time. My mentor was Aon's Actuarial Health and Benefits intern the previous summer, so it was incredibly beneficial to have her advice the entire summer. My mentor also attended many of Aon's intern-mentor social events with me.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
I think my RMI and AS classes helped prepare me for the internship, but I think my role as a Gamma officer actually prepared me even more. Working at a brokerage and specifically in the consultant space demands professionalism and time management, and I found that Gamma helped fine-tune these skills before my internship. My RMI classes helped me determine what different terms such as PPO, HMO, and HDHP were, and my AS classes taught me elementary techniques to setting reserves.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
The interview process with Aon was enjoyable, transparent, and fast. My first interview was a phone interview with the Campus Recruiter in Chicago. The phone call was about 20 minutes long, and she moved me on to a second, on-site interview in New York while on the same call. About a week later, I interviewed on-site with 4 interviewers, each 30 minutes in length. The first interviewer was very conversational but asked me technical questions. The next 3 interviews all were conversational in nature. While each of the interviewers held senior roles in the organization, I felt very welcome and appreciated. The interview was on a Friday morning, and I received the offer from Aon the next Tuesday afternoon (2 business days).
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
Working in the consulting space resulted in many different projects throughout the summer. Most of my work consisted of me running several iterations of simple Actuarial Value models, but there were a few occasions in which I had special projects not normally assigned to interns. The week of the 4th of July, many of the analysts and VPs were out of the office, so I got to set premiums and contributions for a prospect client. I reported directly to the SVP who led the client team, and the work was about 4 days long. In addition, Aon's end-of-summer presentation is entirely open ended, and interns can present on anything they wish to. I did a mock stewardship presentation on benchmarking for one of the clients I worked on during the summer, and I presented it to over 30 people in the Health and Benefits practice.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
There were a few supplemental benefits. Aon's New York office offers a housing stipend to actuarial interns. We also had several different social events inside and outside the office. We were invited to a networking event with Zurich held in the Zurich offices in 4 World Trade Center, participated in New York's Pride Parade, visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, went to a New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, and had a day with gelato for the interns. We also had a bi-weekly speaker series where Aon executives in New York spoke to the intern class, and breakfast was provided. During the last week of the internship, the Executive Board of Aon visited New York, and the interns got to meet CEOs of different divisions at Aon.
Describe the company's internship program.
The atmosphere in the New York City office was interesting due to a change in offices in the middle of my internship. When I arrived, Aon's office was located at 199 Water Street in the Seaport District. The office was very close to the seaport, and the seaport was a great place to hang out during lunch with fellow interns. Inside, the office had tall cubicles with many external offices occupied by Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents. During my 7th week of the internship, we moved offices to One Liberty Plaza, which is on Broadway in the Financial District. The office at One Liberty Plaza was much closer to the subway station, and the office was state of the art. All employees received new and updated technology, and our new desks were adjustable and allowed employees to either sit down or stand up. Each employee had two identical computer screens for work, and the new office was an open concept with very few offices. Senior managers occupied the same space as entry level analysts.
I felt that each person at Aon was very collaborative and helpful, regardless of title or seniority. Senior Vice Presidents would take time out of their day to discuss health care trends, problems with claims data, or questions about professional goals. Actuaries and non-actuaries worked together on a regular basis, and it allowed me to learn more about the health insurance industry and see multiple perspectives. During intern networking events, I often was able to discuss career goals with some of the brokers, and the brokers discussed their goals as well. I learned a lot about the brokerage business, and I felt that it made me a well-rounded intern.
I think to succeed as an intern at a consultant like Aon, interns need to take the time to perform a high level of work early on and can't be afraid to seek out work themselves. If you can prove to your manager and other managers you are capable of performing at a high level, they will not hesitate to send work your way.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
The internship was much better than I expected during the interview process. I did not expect the level of help from Senior Vice Presidents that I received on a daily basis, and I did not expect everyone to be so knowledgeable about different events. I also thought it was extremely beneficial to intern at a brokerage because I learned a lot about Risk Management as well. I was the only Actuarial Intern in Health and Benefits, and I felt as though everyone treated me as a little brother and wanted me to succeed. I think there were many more opportunities for professional growth at Aon in New York compared to working at a carrier in Philadelphia.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
I received 3 days off during the summer, but 2 of them were a bit unexpected. The only holiday during the summer was the 4th of July. This was not a paid holiday for interns, as they are working hourly. I also was let out early one day due to an electric fire in the old office at 199 Water Street. The day we moved to One Liberty Plaza, my manager gave me option of either taking a day off or working. Since I loved working at Aon so much, I decided to work from home.
Matt McCool
Actuarial Science Summer 2018
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Role
Reinsurance Actuarial Intern
Location
New York City, New York
When did you work there?
Summer 2018
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Ad hoc projects regarding cyber liability and updating data for model parameters.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
He worked closely on numerous projects with me to develop and adjust ACRAM, Aon’s Cyber Model.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, it was very much so Excel based but the foundation of my mathematical skills helped the summer go smoothly. Were you assigned any special projects?
Mostly a bunch of tiny projects, nothing too large but also nothing less than 3 days worth of work.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Housing Stipend and Intern-Planned Happy Hours
Describe the company's internship program.
Super well structured. We did a 9/11 Memorial Visit, a visit to a client’s office, lots of interaction and speaker series with upper level management, and even a meet and greet with the C-Suite at the end of the summer.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
It was way better than I could’ve ever asked for.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Unpaid but yes, we got off for Fourth of July.
Reinsurance Actuarial Intern
Location
New York City, New York
When did you work there?
Summer 2018
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial Science
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
Ad hoc projects regarding cyber liability and updating data for model parameters.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
He worked closely on numerous projects with me to develop and adjust ACRAM, Aon’s Cyber Model.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, it was very much so Excel based but the foundation of my mathematical skills helped the summer go smoothly. Were you assigned any special projects?
Mostly a bunch of tiny projects, nothing too large but also nothing less than 3 days worth of work.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
Housing Stipend and Intern-Planned Happy Hours
Describe the company's internship program.
Super well structured. We did a 9/11 Memorial Visit, a visit to a client’s office, lots of interaction and speaker series with upper level management, and even a meet and greet with the C-Suite at the end of the summer.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
It was way better than I could’ve ever asked for.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
Unpaid but yes, we got off for Fourth of July.
Alysia Overdorf
Actuarial Science Summer 2018
|
Role
Actuarial Intern, Health and Benefits
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial (Masters)
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I worked with the health and benefits actuarial team on whatever projects they were working on at the time. I was able to work with a variety of people there on each of their clients. This included working on IBNR reserves, prices of self insured plans and budgeting for self insured plans, actuarial value calculators for insurance plans, and other related things. I was able to sit in on client calls to see how my projects and work was being used.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
He helped me find people that were looking for help with projects that I could work on, as well as guided me through projects for his clients. He made sure that I was busy enough but not overwhelmed with work. He answered all my questions about work and the industry, as well as questions regarding office culture.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, RMI 5101 gave me a lot of background knowledge that helped prepare me for some of the work I did there. For example, being familiar with stop loss, self insuring, and the different types of health insurance plans was helpful in some of the work I did.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I had an on campus interview the day after the reception and an in office interview a few weeks later. They gave me an offer quickly after and then wanted a quick response from me.
Were you assigned any special projects?
I did an intern presentation at the end of my internship. It was completely up to me and my mentor what I presented on, there were no guidelines at all except for time frame. I was glad they had me to do this, because it allowed me to show upper management what I had worked on and learned throughout the summer, while not locking me into having to do a specific project that I might not have been interested in.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
There were many lunches bought for me throughout the summer (on average, probably 1 per week) and a few happy hours. There was also a company picnic that took most of a day with a lot of food and beverage.
Describe the company's internship program.
The culture in the workplace was really welcoming and fun. Everyone went for lunch together every day and encouraged me to come to happy hours to get to know the team.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, it was very similar to what I expected.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
We were given off for the 4th of July.
Actuarial Intern, Health and Benefits
Location
Philadelphia
Please list your major(s) and minor(s).
Actuarial (Masters)
Provide a general description of the work at your internship.
I worked with the health and benefits actuarial team on whatever projects they were working on at the time. I was able to work with a variety of people there on each of their clients. This included working on IBNR reserves, prices of self insured plans and budgeting for self insured plans, actuarial value calculators for insurance plans, and other related things. I was able to sit in on client calls to see how my projects and work was being used.
Did you have a mentor?
Yes
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
He helped me find people that were looking for help with projects that I could work on, as well as guided me through projects for his clients. He made sure that I was busy enough but not overwhelmed with work. He answered all my questions about work and the industry, as well as questions regarding office culture.
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
Yes, RMI 5101 gave me a lot of background knowledge that helped prepare me for some of the work I did there. For example, being familiar with stop loss, self insuring, and the different types of health insurance plans was helpful in some of the work I did.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I had an on campus interview the day after the reception and an in office interview a few weeks later. They gave me an offer quickly after and then wanted a quick response from me.
Were you assigned any special projects?
I did an intern presentation at the end of my internship. It was completely up to me and my mentor what I presented on, there were no guidelines at all except for time frame. I was glad they had me to do this, because it allowed me to show upper management what I had worked on and learned throughout the summer, while not locking me into having to do a specific project that I might not have been interested in.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay?
There were many lunches bought for me throughout the summer (on average, probably 1 per week) and a few happy hours. There was also a company picnic that took most of a day with a lot of food and beverage.
Describe the company's internship program.
The culture in the workplace was really welcoming and fun. Everyone went for lunch together every day and encouraged me to come to happy hours to get to know the team.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes, it was very similar to what I expected.
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
We were given off for the 4th of July.
Timothy Ellis
Actuarial Science Spring 2017
|
Provide a General Description of the Internship. Include daily tasks completed, the company and its employees, and any other information.
I assisted a team of six employees within the actuarial department to generate collateral calculations, loss forecasts, and reserve analyses for various clients. Most of this work was brokerage support, providing these reports to assist with upcoming renewals.
Did you have a mentor?
No
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
N/A
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
The material learned in my AS classes didn't necessarily help me in my day to day work at Aon. However, my RMI classes gave me a basic understanding of the countless insurance terms and acronyms that my full time colleagues used every day.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I was rehired from the previous summer, so I can't comment on the actual process.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
This summer I worked to compile data for Aon's annual Hospital Professional Liability Benchmark Study. This involved emailing account management teams for hospital clients, obtaining recently valued data and exposures, cleaning up the data to ensure consistency, and then putting the data into a very specific format so it could be added to the database. This project made up the majority of my work for the month of June.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay? (Internship Lunches, Housing, Sports Games, Happy Hours, etc.)
Aon purchased a manual of my choosing for MFE. Whenever I didn't have a project from my manager I utilized the time to study, however, there were no formal hours provided. I also played on the company softball team and went to a few lunches with my team throughout the summer.
Describe the company's internship program(atmosphere, work load, work, housing, outside work activities, etc.).
I was not part of the formal intern program. However, most interns participate in weekly conference calls where Aon colleagues from different business lines explained Aon's services and core business. The Philadelphia office also hosts an intern day for client to send their interns so they can learn about Aon's different business units and insurance brokers in general. Most aOn interns will have the opportunity to participate in the as well.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
I sat for Exam MFE in July and I received a paid day off on that date. My manager was also very flexible with my work schedule, and I was able to request off at any time if I provided enough notice.
I assisted a team of six employees within the actuarial department to generate collateral calculations, loss forecasts, and reserve analyses for various clients. Most of this work was brokerage support, providing these reports to assist with upcoming renewals.
Did you have a mentor?
No
If so, how did he/she help you during your internship?
N/A
Did you feel your RMI/AS classes better prepared you for the internship?
The material learned in my AS classes didn't necessarily help me in my day to day work at Aon. However, my RMI classes gave me a basic understanding of the countless insurance terms and acronyms that my full time colleagues used every day.
Interviewing/Hiring Process Comments:
I was rehired from the previous summer, so I can't comment on the actual process.
Were you assigned any special projects? If so please describe.
This summer I worked to compile data for Aon's annual Hospital Professional Liability Benchmark Study. This involved emailing account management teams for hospital clients, obtaining recently valued data and exposures, cleaning up the data to ensure consistency, and then putting the data into a very specific format so it could be added to the database. This project made up the majority of my work for the month of June.
What were the supplemental benefits besides the pay? (Internship Lunches, Housing, Sports Games, Happy Hours, etc.)
Aon purchased a manual of my choosing for MFE. Whenever I didn't have a project from my manager I utilized the time to study, however, there were no formal hours provided. I also played on the company softball team and went to a few lunches with my team throughout the summer.
Describe the company's internship program(atmosphere, work load, work, housing, outside work activities, etc.).
I was not part of the formal intern program. However, most interns participate in weekly conference calls where Aon colleagues from different business lines explained Aon's services and core business. The Philadelphia office also hosts an intern day for client to send their interns so they can learn about Aon's different business units and insurance brokers in general. Most aOn interns will have the opportunity to participate in the as well.
Was the internship what you expected after the interviewing/hiring process?
Yes
Were you provided time off besides the weekend?
I sat for Exam MFE in July and I received a paid day off on that date. My manager was also very flexible with my work schedule, and I was able to request off at any time if I provided enough notice.