The Royal Experience Summer Internship Program

This summer, I am excited to begin my internship with NYS Unified Court System for the 9th district. I have been paired with family court judge Honorable Andrea Composto. As someone who hopes to attend law school and pursue a legal career, I see this as an incredible opportunity to learn about the legal system, especially getting to see the day to day life of a judge and all the work and decisions that they have to handle.

The 9th district of NY serves around 2 million people, so the judges do a lot to serve the community. One of the things I am most excited about is gaining a better understanding of how the court system works on a daily basis. I hope to observe courtroom proceedings, learn about the responsibilities of judges and court staff, and see how legal decisions are made.

Family Court handles matters that can have a major impact on people’s lives, so I am interested in learning how judges carefully consider the facts and law when reaching decisions. I also hope to learn more about how lawyers prepare cases in order to bring these matters up to the judge, and then how the judge uses these facts in order to render her decision.

I believe this internship will have a significant impact on my career path because it will provide valuable exposure to the practice of law before I hopefully attend law school. I hope this experience will strengthen my understanding of the justice system and further confirm my desire to become an attorney.

 

– Liz Ortega, Psychology & Political Science 2027

During my internship with the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, I hope to gain hands-on experience and knowledge of the day-to-day life working in law enforcement. I have decided that I want to work in law enforcement; however, there are so many different areas, sectors, and levels that I can choose from. I know I want to be a police officer; however, I am unsure whether federal, state, or local law enforcement would be the best fit for me. Growing up in Sussex County, I was thrilled to have been offered an internship with the Sheriff’s Office. This internship will allow me the opportunity to explore a different side of law enforcement, compared to a traditional police department, and specifically see if the work of the Sheriff’s Office is something that I could imagine myself doing. Through this internship, I will also have the opportunity to work in each department of the office, including patrol, K9, home detention, investigations, emergency management, and fire marshal. Getting first-hand experience with these divisions will give me a well-rounded understanding of how a law enforcement agency operates. Observing the unique skills required for each role will help me identify where my own strengths and interests lie and see what best suits me. The possibilities are endless in law enforcement, and this internship will impact my career path by helping me to narrow down that scope. It will provide me the chance to see what the job and lifestyle are like working for a smaller, more local Sheriff’s office and allow me the chance to explore various departments to see what fits me best. Ultimately, this experience will serve as the foundation for my future career decisions, transforming my broad passion for public service into a more specific career plan. By the time I complete this internship, I expect to have the clarity and confidence needed to make a thoughtful and informed decision on what law enforcement career would suit me best.

– Hannah Horn, Cybercrime & Homeland Security 2027

This summer, I am interning as a Cybersecurity Analyst Intern with The University of Scranton’s Information Security team. Through this internship, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how cybersecurity professionals protect organizations from cyber threats and manage security in a real-world environment. As a Cybercrime and Homeland Security student, I have learned about topics such as network security, cyber investigations, risk management, and cyber intelligence in the classroom. This internship provides an opportunity to see how those concepts are applied in practice while working alongside experienced professionals. I am looking forward to learning more about the day-to-day responsibilities of cybersecurity analysts and gaining exposure to the tools and technologies used to defend organizational systems and data.

During my internship, I am excited to gain hands-on experience with areas such as vulnerability management, security monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and cybersecurity awareness initiatives. I hope to learn how security teams identify potential risks, investigate suspicious activity, and implement solutions to strengthen an organization’s security posture. In addition to technical skills, I am interested in learning how cybersecurity professionals collaborate with employees across different departments to promote security best practices. Developing both technical knowledge and professional communication skills will help me become a more effective cybersecurity practitioner.

I believe this internship will have a significant impact on my career path because it will allow me to apply classroom knowledge in a professional setting while helping me identify areas of cybersecurity that interest me most. As someone who is passionate about cybersecurity and cyber investigations, I hope this experience will provide valuable insight into potential career opportunities and help prepare me for future roles in the field. Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, expand my skill set, and continue building a strong foundation for a career in cybersecurity.

I created this tri-fold display for an Information Security event held in the DeNaples Center to educate students, faculty, and staff about the importance of cybersecurity and information security. The display focused on several key topics, including password safety, recognizing phishing attempts, safe Wi-Fi practices, and mobile device security. The goal was to provide attendees with practical tips they could apply in their daily lives to better protect their personal information and online accounts. Through this project, I gained experience communicating cybersecurity concepts to a non-technical audience and learned the importance of security awareness in helping prevent cyber threats.

– Alex Steele, Cybercrime & Homeland Security 2027

Going into my internship in the Emergency Department, I’m really excited to see what social work actually looks like in a fast-paced, real-world setting. I already work in the ED as a tech, so I’ve had a firsthand look at how quickly things move and how many roles come together to care for patients. That’s a big reason why I wanted to intern with an ED social worker.  It feels like the perfect starting point to explore where I want to go with my psychology degree. Classes give a solid foundation, but I’m ready to see how everything comes together in real time. The ED is truly where clinical care and support services meet behind the scenes—it’s not always visible, but it’s incredibly important.

One of my biggest goals is to strengthen my communication and build better connections with patients. In the ED, conversations aren’t always long, but they matter a lot. I want to feel more confident in how I listen, ask questions, and respond, while also paying closer attention to body language and the small cues that can say so much. I’ve started to realize that even simple kindness can make a huge difference, especially when someone is stressed, overwhelmed, or in crisis.

I’m also excited to learn how social workers assess patient needs, whether it’s mental health concerns, housing challenges, or lack of support. Even tools like resource booklets play a big role in helping patients connect with support after they leave.

Overall, I’m really looking forward to everything this experience has to offer. I’m hoping to grow, build confidence, and walk away with a clearer understanding of my path in the helping field.

A resource booklet used to help connect patients with community support and services after their visit.

– Peyton Germaine, Psychology 2029

This summer, I had the opportunity to participate in Dr. Randich’s lab at the University of Scranton, where I explored the morphological plasticity of the αproteobacterium, Henriciella pelagia. Throughout this experience, I gained valuable practice using microbiological tools and techniques, including WGA staining, FDAA labeling, phase-contrast microscopy, and more. One highlight was presenting our work at the 2025 PHAGES Conference at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Sharing our research with a community of microbiologists and molecular biologists was incredibly rewarding, as it allowed me to connect with remarkable scientists, learn about their research, and broaden my perspective on the field.

Although rewarding, this experience also came with challenges that ultimately strengthened my growth as a researcher. One of the biggest challenges was learning to be comfortable with inconclusive results and to develop patience for the research process. Science does not always lead to immediate, groundbreaking discoveries, and sometimes it raises new questions instead. I experienced this while using fluorescent microscopy to track bacterial growth and division by incorporating fluorescent labels into the cell surface to better visualize and study cell-division. While the experiment did not yield very clear results, it gave me valuable experience with fluorescent imaging techniques and prepared me to refine and repeat this work in the future.

Overall, I am very grateful for the opportunity to conduct research in the Randich lab and to attend a scientific conference such as PHAGES. This summer not only strengthened my technical skills but also enhanced my desire to pursue research in my future career. I look forward to continuing my journey as a researcher and building on this experience throughout the coming school year.

Eduardo Diazgranados

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, 2026

This summer, I was fortunate enough to have completed my internship at Pardo & Associates CPA’s. Throughout the entire experience, the most rewarding part of my internship was meeting the goals I had set for myself and making strong relationships with the people at Pardo’s. By the end of my internship, my goal was to become more knowledgeable in the finance/accounting field. I have achieved this and now have a deeper understanding of the behind-the-scenes within an accounting firm. I am very fortunate to have built a relationship with the wonderful people at the firm, who made this new and exciting experience run smoothly.

As for the most challenging part of this whole experience, I would say asking for help in certain situations was the hardest. I tried my best to complete tasks on my own without needing any assistance, thinking it showed signs of a good intern without needing to bother them. Toward the last few weeks of this experience, I quickly realized that not asking questions was my biggest mistake, and as an intern, you are there to learn and not have everything all figured out. Overall, I am incredibly grateful for this experience. I had the opportunity to meet great people and learn more about the field I hope to pursue a career in.

Damaris Acomata

Finance, 2027

This summer I was able to learn more about what it is like to have research as a full time job.  I was able to get more experience in reading scientific literature, as well as running an experiment. I was also able to experience the ups and downs of research. When our first trial did not yield significant results, I was able to dissect out the nerve cord of the crayfish.

The most rewarding part of the internship was constantly learning. I enjoyed learning about crayfish husbandry, the effects of NSAIDs, and data collecting. I also learned how much planning goes on behind the scenes of a new project. This internship allowed me to focus on reading literature without having all the other distractions during the semester.

Some of the challenges I faced during the semester were scheduling and isolation. I found being in the lab to be isolating at times. In this internship, I was able to work at whichever hours I wanted for the most part. I struggled to find a strict schedule of when to go to the lab or when to go to the library. This was also one of the reasons why I found myself feeling isolated. I typically spend a few hours each week cleaning out the crayfish habitats at night which means I would spend a few hours each week being in the lab where no one was around. While sometimes I appreciated the silence, sometimes it felt eerie to be in LSC without seeing other students studying for exams.

I know that labs typically have more people working in them which keeps me hopeful in pursuing a job in research. I did, however, realize that I would like to gain some more experience in a lab setting before pursuing a Ph.D. Overall, I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to experience what full time research looks like, and I can’t wait to continue my work with crayfish during the school year.

Sophia da Costa

Neuroscience & Philosophy, 2026

The most rewarding part of my time with the Morris County Prosecutors Office Fugitive Unit was contributing directly to investigations that led to locating and apprehending individuals with outstanding warrants. Compiling detailed background workups, reviewing case files, and gathering intelligence gave me a clear sense of how my work supported real operational outcomes. Working alongside seasoned detectives allowed me to learn advanced investigative techniques, both in the field and through digital forensics. I also gained valuable exposure to specialized tools such as Magnet AXIOM and Cellebrite, which enhanced my understanding of modern investigative methods. Seeing my contributions play a role in advancing cases—and knowing those efforts ultimately enhanced public safety—was an experience that solidified my commitment to a career in law enforcement.

The most challenging aspect was adapting to the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of fugitive operations. Each case presented unique circumstances, requiring quick decision-making, strong attention to detail, and the ability to navigate incomplete or rapidly changing information. Balancing the urgency of locating suspects with the need to maintain strict procedural and safety standards was a constant test of my focus and adaptability. This experience taught me how to remain calm under pressure, trust the investigative process, and think critically even in high-stakes situations—skills that will benefit me throughout my career.

Anthony Knof 

Criminal Justice, 2026

I have been interning at Herald Community Newspapers since late May, and have gained so much valuable experience because of it. To be honest, the whole internship was extremely rewarding, and I have never been prouder of myself. However, there are some parts that stick out, one being that four of my stories were chosen by the senior editor to be published on the front page of the newspaper. This is an incredible, sought-after accomplishment in the journalism world and something I did not think would happen while I was interning. It felt awesome to see my front page stories in the newspapers being sold at the delis, diners, and pharmacies in my area. It was also nice to be able to show my family and friends what I have been working on when the articles were published.

The most challenging part of my internship was adhering to a certain type of writing style while working on articles. When writing for news, journalists write in Associated Press (AP) Style, which is very different when compared to writing in standard American English. Sometimes I would forget some of the rules of AP Style, or write in a mixture of AP Style and the standard way of writing. When the senior editor caught these mistakes, she would explain the corrections to me, which helped me improve. Writing is the cornerstone of journalism, and is the most important skill in the profession. Though I am far from a perfect writer, my internship at Herald Community Newspapers helped me achieve my main goal for the internship, which was to improve my writing.

Jane Bagatta

Advertising & Public Relations, Journalism & Electronic Media, 2027