At Rigil, we rely on interns to support the activities that drive our success. Our Internship Program gives students and recent graduates the opportunity to learn, grow, and flourish in a welcoming and diverse environment. Meet our Fall 2022 interns as they offer insight into their experiences.
What our interns say
Larry Chin
Business Development and Proposal Intern
Larry studies communications and technical writing at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he is also the internal vice president of the school’s Lambda Phi Epsilon chapter. While at Rigil, he researched and captured new business opportunities, learned about our proposal process, and assisted in human resources outreach. Larry is hoping to use his experience at Rigil to delve into the defense technology field.
What attracted you to Rigil?
The identity of the company in terms of being a government contractor and consulting agency for customers is appealing, but the interviewers are also amazing people that are very inspiring and personable.
Liza Lukina
Human Resources Intern
Liza is pursuing her Master’s in Human Resource Management at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and is currently preparing to take the Society for Human Resource Management-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam. At Rigil, she provides administrative assistance with performance appraisals and exit interviews, and also supports recruitment, employee relations, and training. Liza wants to use the experience she gains at Rigil to prepare for a full-time role in HR.
What have you enjoyed the most about your internship so far?
I enjoy that it is very structured. During our first meeting, my manager presented a plan for my internship with an overview of the projects I will be working on with a clear timeline. I also like that I was asked to compose 3 SMART goals and got feedback about incorporating them into my internship the day after. I get a feeling they really care about what I want to do as an intern and not only what they want me to do.
Sam Grigsby
Marketing and Communications Support Intern
Sam is a recent graduate from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he studied marketing and creative advertising. He is currently working on expanding his creative portfolio with the goal to write copy for advertisements. At Rigil, Sam developed the Meet the Interns campaign, researched and executed our social media strategy, edited internal communications, and updated our editorial calendar with new opportunities.
What advice do you have for future interns?
Have confidence in your abilities, and don’t be shy about expressing your point of view. Rigil takes pride in its organizational structure, which emphasizes the unique value of every employee. The managers aren’t just open to your input, they rely on it.
Bridget Brown
Former Marketing and Communications intern
Bridget studied Marketing, International Business, and Human Development at the University of Maryland. She developed campaigns, made creative decisions, and executed the 2021 National Intern Day project while interning at Rigil.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
This was my first experience outside the classroom where I was given an end goal with the freedom to chart my own path to reach that goal without rigid instructions. I was able to exercise my creativity and find different ways to make an impact with the company.
Deborah Okanlawon
Former Human Resources intern
Deborah was pursuing her graduate degree in Human Resources at Bowie State University. As a Rigil intern, she learned about many facets of HR and worked on many projects including the company’s skills matrix.
What was your favorite part of working at Rigil?
I appreciated the community-based aspect and open-door policy of the company. They organized meet-and-greets that allowed us to make lasting connections with the leadership team, and they are very approachable. I also felt supported by my direct supervisors, who made themselves accessible and willing to address my questions.
Dillon Morley
Former Technology and Analytics intern
Dillon studied Information/Data Science at the University of Maryland. He interned twice with Rigil, supporting the Gamification and Technology team and Project Analytics. He developed Human Resources games on the StrataGem learning platform and contributed to software development.
What advice do you have for future interns?
Ask for more work and use all resources available to you. There are always opportunities to connect with professionals of all career backgrounds and learn more about different types of work. After interning twice and experiencing two different roles, I have a better perspective on the opportunities my field offers.
Julia Arnsberger
Former Project Management intern
Julia studied Systems Engineering and Computer Science at George Washington University. At Rigil, she streamlined process improvement documents, organized federal contract information, optimized programs, and designed websites.
How did your work have an impact?
It is intimidating to go into the professional world for the first time, but I’ve gained a better understanding of how things work and grown confidence in my abilities to make an impact. Rigil’s innovative solutions make a positive impact on others and I feel my time here has contributed to that.
Our interns have the opportunity to take on projects that directly contribute to our values and make life better for their teammates, customers, and communities.
