Every Summer, we are delighted to invite college juniors and seniors to intern at our headquarters in Aventura, FL. As a global leader in Life Insurance Premium Financing, ARI Financial is proud to offer students the opportunity to grow and develop in their careers by exposing them to the real-life challenges and scenarios of the industry. Beyond offering a variety of business experiences, our Summer Internship is an excellent opportunity for students to network with industry leaders, learn new technical skills, and create lasting memories.
This year, we had the privilege to connect with Adam Weinberg and Anthony Del Cuadro, two bright students from the University of Florida.
ADAM WEINBERG
Major / University: Finance, University of Florida (UF)
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Adam Weinberg. I’m a rising sophomore from Miami studying at the University of Florida (UF). I’m majoring in finance and pursuing a career in investment banking. At UF, I’m involved with finance-related organizations, including the Gator Student Investment Fund as an analyst in the Financial Institutions Group.
Can you share a few highlights from your Internship
at ARI?
Presenting my work at employee meetings and having long conversations about various finance topics with colleagues are definitely some highlights of my Summer internship at ARI Financial Group.
What were your responsibilities as a Junior Financial Strategist Intern?
As an intern, I was asked to put together presentations, templates and spreadsheets about interest rates, and life insurance products.
What are you most proud of from the last 10 weeks?
I am most proud of the communicative and technical skills I have developed in my ten weeks as an intern, as well as the personal relationships I have formed with some of my colleagues.
How would you describe the work environment at ARI?
I would describe the work environment as open and encouraging. Everyone is willing to assist with problems or answer questions that you may have.
Is there a specific person you consider your mentor throughout the internship?
Jared Deyong, who is the Director of Advanced Planning, has been a mentor to me throughout my internship. He’s not only helped me learn the technical parts of ARI Financial’s business but has also provided me with life and career advice that I will surely be taking with me.
What is one piece of advice that you would pass on to future interns?
I would advise future interns not to be fearful of asking questions. It may sound cliché, but it is truly the best advice I can give. Asking questions not only helped me complete projects and tasks that I was assigned, but it also started conversations and facilitated my relationships with the other employees.
Through our mentorship program, ARI Financial Group empowers and inspires future generations by giving them a collaborative space where they can put their skills to work and apply them to real-life scenarios.
ANTHONY DEL CUADRO
Major / University: Finance, University of Florida (UF)
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Anthony del Cuadro, and I am a rising junior at the University of Florida. My major is Business Administration with a minor in statistics. I was born and raised in Miami and only recently moved to UF as a transfer student from Florida International University. Over the course of this summer, I have been fortunate enough to complete my first internship at ARI Financial Group as an accounting intern.
Can you share a few highlights from your Internship
at ARI?
There are so many wonderful highlights that come to mind, but a few that stood out for me were primarily when I was included in a meeting with a public accounting firm that is helping us out with some compliance and auditing. I was able to see first-hand the difference between working as an accountant in the private sector versus the public side. I was even able to do some of the work with supervision. Another memorable highlight was my first day at ARI, everyone was very kind to me, and I felt like I had the resources to network correctly and ask for help when needed.
What were your responsibilities as an Accounting Intern?
My responsibilities varied from day to day based on the level of activity the company was under. Still, usually, I was tasked with calculating and reconciling commissions, categorizing expenses from the different QuickBooks accounts, and sitting in on meetings with the staff accountant and Chief Financial Officer.
What are you most proud of from the last 10 weeks?
One of the things I was most proud of during my last weeks was being able to say that I received a return offer from the company after graduation. Nowadays, it is getting increasingly more difficult for college graduates to secure a job that not only enhances your professional career but that makes you excited to go to work every day. I am lucky enough to have that opportunity.
How would you describe the work environment at ARI?
I would describe the environment as collaborative and energetic. Most of the work of ARI’s employees needs input from other departments, and this interconnectedness fosters a great sense of collaboration. Overall, everyone is very dedicated and proud of their work at ARI. I felt that this environment was very important to witness not only as an intern but as a novice what corporate life in the business world is like.
Is there a specific person you consider your mentor throughout the internship?
Yes, a person that has been my mentor throughout this internship has been our Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Carpenter. He has been nothing but supportive even when I was still interviewing for the position. As a student with relatively little professional work experience, it is easy to get overwhelmed as an intern when you think you don’t have the capacity to finish a task or don’t know when to ask for help. Jonathan has been very patient with me and has given me invaluable insight into life as an accountant and manager.
What is one piece of advice that you would pass on to future interns?
One piece of advice that I would give to future interns would be to take advantage of all the professional experience around them. Ask as many questions as reasonably possible to really get a sense of what you are interested in as an intern.
Adam and Anthony, ARI Financial is grateful for your hard work and the cheer you brought to the office this summer! We hope this experience was an essential step to aligning with your values and interests to make the right choice for your career. We are excited to see you succeed.
Ready to begin the story of your career?
Please get in touch with us at info@ari-fg.com to learn more about ARI Financial Group and our available internship opportunities.