The Dwight Internship and Shadowing program offers our high school students valuable career experience through our Dwight parents and alumni. Over the last few years, a handful of our alumni generously came forward to host our students with both short-term shadow experiences and full summer opportunities.
Before Internship Coordinator Shauna Fitzmahan started the program, she taught History and Theory of Knowledge for over a decade at Dwight. When her former student, Faiez Ahmed ’13, reached out to say he wanted to offer our students a shadowing experience at Merrill Lynch, she was thrilled.
Faiez is a Vice President, Financial Advisor, and Senior Portfolio Adviser at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, whose practice focuses on investment management, tax mitigation strategies, financial planning, and estate planning. He designed a fascinating day for 25 students from Dwight New York and Global Online, where they learned about wealth management and ended the day touring the Trading Floor.
“My own journey started with a shadowing experience at Credit Suisse through Dwight’s program,” said Faiez. “I wanted to offer Dwight students a similar opportunity to explore the finance world and discover their own talents. Through this program, I aim to give students a hands-on, immersive experience that could ignite their own interests and passions, just as mine was ignited years ago.”
Other alumni have hosted students in a diverse range of fields. For instance, Dr. Bruce Blau ’76 has welcomed students to intern in his dental practice, providing insights into the medical field. And last summer, Oliver Zabar ’09 joined the group of host alumni by offering a summer internship at the ice cream shop, Glace, teaching our students about a career in hospitality.
We want to thank our alumni for offering these invaluable experiences to our students. Bringing these young people into high-profile working environments helps them network and develop their career paths. Fitzmahan encourages more alumni to become hosts. She said, “The generosity of our alumni intern host makes a lasting impact, providing invaluable experience and mentorship to our students. We hope more alumni will open their doors to help shape the next generation of leaders.”
If you’re interested in hosting an internship or shadow opportunity, please email her at sfitzmahan@dwight.edu or complete this form.