Administration of Justice Students Earn Credit for Internships

The Internship Program for the Administration of Justice Department at George Mason University provides students with an exciting opportunity to gain specialized on the job training, develop contacts for the future and earn academic credit. Students have had memorable experiences working for a variety of criminal justice organizations around the Washington metropolitan area. The following are several examples of students who have recently completed or are currently involved in rewarding internship experiences with our program:

  • Jennifer Pomerantz applied for an internship with the FBI, Washington Field Office in the summer/early fall of 2008, and after a full background check, began working in May, 2009. The FBI program allows student interns to shadow an analyst and complete assigned tasks and projects. After an initial training period, Jennifer was assigned to the Counter-Intelligence Unit to work on various projects, and then moved on to the Crimes Against Children Unit where she was able to work with various intelligence analysts, special agents, and members of local task forces. Because of her work on the internship, Jennifer was offered a permanent full-time position as a Staff Operations Specialist with the FBI, which she accepted. Jennifer will be attending Staff Operations Specialist training in Quantico this month and is very excited about embarking on her new career. When reflecting on George Mason’s Administration of Justice Internship Program, Jennifer stated, “this internship has surpassed any and all expectations I had for it! I have had such a variety of experiences in this internship and I will always carry what I learned here with me on jobs I pursue in the future. The knowledge and experience I gained at the FBI Internship program is priceless!”

  • Shaunna Williams conducted her internship with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Association (“NCISA”) based out of the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, DC, over the course of two semesters during the spring and fall, 2009. During the fall semester, Shaunna worked for the Cold Case Homicide Unit, and had the opportunity to review and provide case summaries on open homicide investigations, prepare documents and presentations for agency use, and has given analytical and investigative support to Special Agents in a number of different capacities. Shaunna was rewarded for her hard work by being selected to receive the 2009-2010 Internship Award and $1,000 grant by the NCISA, and was evaluated as being “the best qualified for a public service career with NCIS or similar law enforcement intelligence agency.” Shaunna stated that, “my internship experience was filled with rewarding and fulfilling experiences which I will carry with me throughout my career in law enforcement. I would highly recommend, and encourage, this experience to any student at George Mason University.”
  • Paul Albright is currently conducting an internship in the Fraud Investigations Unit at the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Company (“Freddie Mac.”) Paul began working at Freddie Mac last summer when he worked on a special project investigating entries on the company’s Exclusionary List. Paul was also able to attend a Mortgage Task Force Meeting in New York City with a Fraud Investigator to get a taste of fieldwork, and he assisted a Senior Fraud Investigator during a weeklong investigation in Orlando, Florida. Paul’s current internship involves investigating tips to check for potential exposure of Freddie Mac’s portfolio to mortgage fraud, and to assist the Director of the Fraud Investigations Unit with special projects. Paul noted that the work “is difficult and I am certainly learning a lot of new information that I have never been exposed to before. I feel that it is very beneficial for me because…it will make me grow more a s a person and will make me more appealing to future employers.” Paul also indicated that it is very exciting when he finds incidents of mortgage fraud, which are converted to open cases that may involve the recovery of millions of dollars for the company, as well as for tax payers.
  • Chris Taylor is currently working on an internship with the 31st District Court Services Unit Office of Juvenile and Domestic Relations. Chris believes that the internship offers students experience in on of the most fluid and constantly changing areas of criminal justice. He notes that the internship involves work with many law enforcement agencies, courts and other agencies in the Prince William County area. Chris noted that he visits clients in the county detention home and in their own homes. He has attended various training functions, and has had the opportunity to teach an anger management class for first time juvenile offenders. Chris noted that “the advantages of this and any other internship are the narrowing of the gap between the classroom and the field… Internships both confirm and dispel some theories and concepts taught by the book and often…serve as a phenomenal capstone to your four year degree.”
  • Khanh Pham is currently interning for the Fairfax County Office of Public Defender. Khanh describes her duties as conducting detailed investigations of each stage of a client’s life, including their social, family and medical history, and screening for factors that may require expert evaluation. She collects mitigating information for use by the defendant’s attorney, produces a sentencing memorandum, and develops sentencing alternatives.  Khanh also assists the defense attorneys by preparing character witnesses, serving subpoenas and attending trials and sentencing hearings. Khanh noted the importance of the work that she is involved in, stating, “I am currently working on a sentencing memorandum for a client that could make a huge impact because he is looking at a long term sentence.”