Personal Contributions

Earlier in the summer, I did not feel that I was able to contribute to client deliverables, however recently I have noticed a change in my work. The client-side has picked up a bit since I have received the proper training and gotten clearances. I began working on FEMA’s improper payment testing team and specifically supported Urban Search and Rescue programs and Disaster Case Management programs. Urban Search and Rescue or “US&R” is responsible for going to the site of the disaster and helping clean up and dig through the rubble. Disaster Case Management or “DCM” is responsible for connecting those impacted by natural disasters with the proper resources to get back on their feet. This may entail getting a job, finding housing, and other similar actions.
I was able to begin my contributions by helping the US&R team sort through their files. I was tasked with looking for what documents may be missing that are necessary to complete the testing. Even though this was a challenging task, I have already received feedback from others on the team who say my efforts have been very helpful as they continue testing their payments. Additionally, I have started to work on the DCM team with their samples. I am currently working on organizing all of the regions files to ensure that testing goes smoothly. As an intern, it has been rewarding to understand where all my work has been helpful rather than just sitting on the sidelines. I am excited to continue to make an impact on client deliverables as I begin the actual testing for DCM. My team leader assigned me to over 50 samples which I believe will be challenging due to my lack of experience in auditing but I am looking forward to learning more!
In addition to the client work that has increased recently, the intern group project has made a lot of progress in the past few weeks. There are four interns in the National Security Sector, and we are responsible for developing a business pitch to present to partners in a few weeks when the internship concludes. This intern presentation will be a big indication of whether I receive a full-time offer from the firm, so I have dedicated a lot of time to the project. I was able to step up as a leader and review the presentation each week and continue to make contributions where I am knowledgeable. Over the past few weeks, I learned the value and importance of being able to step back and let others take the lead as well. Our project focused on machine learning which I am not completely familiar with, however others on my team are studying this in school. This gave me the unique opportunity to learn from others and insert myself where I can make a genuine impact. As other team members guided the group in the technical aspect, I was able to make a difference when it came to the actual presentation and slide deck. My marketing class and other leadership classes helped me be a productive asset to the group when it came to storytelling and product development.