Internships play a crucial role in an undergraduate’s academic career. From gaining invaluable hands-on experience to networking with professionals in their prospective industry, an internship is beneficial—whether paid or unpaid.
Mark and Maureen Angelo share that belief and a deep affection for the University of Miami, which led them to make a $1 million gift to the Toppel Career Center. Through the Mark and Maureen Angelo Family Endowment Fund, which has also received support from other parents of University of Miami students, undergraduate students can receive financial awards as they pursue high quality internships that foster their career exploration.
“We love the U,” said Mark Angelo, the founder of Yorkville Advisors, a global investment manager. “As a family, we are proud to partner with the University of Miami to make a difference by providing resources to students as they pursue their career interests.”
For Nicole Daitschman, a second-year architecture student, that support enabled her to pursue a summer internship with Branco del Rio Arquitectos, a small architecture firm in Coimbra, Portugal.
For months, Daitschman lived in Coimbra, a place she had never visited before, and was able to immerse herself in the culture and professional architecture approaches.
“I was allowed to not only be a part of all the projects being developed but also to have insightful conversations with the other architects, including the firm's owners,” said Daitschman. “I developed skills of model building, communication, entrepreneurship, structure analysis, building codes, financial aspects of a project, photography, and graphic design, besides expanding my personal horizons of the Portuguese and European culture.”
Juan Fernando Flechas Beltran, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering with a biomaterials and tissue concentration, also received an award from the Angelo Family Endowment Fund to help fund his internship last summer with the NeuStem Research Group at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
His internship had a very personal connection and helped provide a sense of closure to a horrifying incident he had faced.
“On Jan. 6, 2023, while riding my motorcycle, I was hit by an SUV that sped through a red light. As I hit the ground, I remember I became paralyzed from my chest down,” he said.
After a 7-hour emergency surgery and a 3-week hospital stay, Flechas regained autonomy eight months later.
“I like to think of this accident as an opportunity that allowed me to have a more in-depth understanding of the needs of individuals affected by paralysis,” said Flechas. “Experiencing the fear of becoming paralyzed and witnessing the ability of our bodies to heal after extensive trauma has further stoked my commitment.”
In addition to Daitschman’s and Felchas’ experiences, other students have landed internship opportunities at NASCAR, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Creative Artists Agency, circuit and district courts, television networks, and more.
“While we recognize that internships are important, the fact remains that for many students, internships are out of reach because they lack the funds to engage in one. That is why we are so thankful to the Angelos for helping to remove barriers to internship access,” said Christian Garcia, associate dean, Toppel Career Center.
The Angelo family gift is part of the University of Miami’s Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century. The most ambitious in the University’s history, the $2.5 billion campaign is set to conclude in 2025, when the University will celebrate its centennial.
