Name: Katelyn Hung
Class Year: 2027
Majors: Growth and Structure of Cities, Economics
Minor: Data Science
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Internship Organization: Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
As a student volunteer, I assist DOL agents with investigating the various cases they are taking on. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigates labor crimes in the western U.S., the majority of which are schemes to defraud the government’s COVID-19 unemployment insurance (UI) program. Other cases cover labor trafficking of immigrants and gang activity. Each DOL agent has a diverse caseload which influences the skillsets I use to help them. These cases often take years to resolve, meaning that agents are juggling projects at varying stages of the legal process. Modeling the lifestyle of federal agents, my day-to-day as an intern is incredibly dynamic. While similar skills are used, no two assignments are the same. For example, an unemployment case utilizes bank transactions, UI applications, and ATM photos whereas a healthcare fraud case involves insurance claims and patient records. My tasks can range from searching for interviewees, conducting government database queries, attending a trial, analyzing photographic evidence, and more! The nature of investigations is not predictable or linear, and the critical thinking skills I’ve developed at ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï have been crucial to my internship.
Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied for this internship because I wanted to experience what a career in government would be like. While the DOL-OIG is only a small department in a country with many federal agencies, I have met with representatives from other agencies who offered further insight into the government positions I can pursue in the future. Throughout my internship, I have joined case meetings with representatives of different federal agencies (like the Department of Justice and the FBI) to understand how they collaborate with the DOL to move cases forward. This internship exposed me to what it’s like to be a federal agent – a career I didn’t even know existed before coming to DOL.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
I’ve been extremely fortunate in my placement at the DOL-OIG and the relationships I’ve built. Our small office has six special agents that are all invested in making my intern experience productive and relevant to my interest in connecting similarities between different fraud cases. They are always willing to answer my questions, take me along on interviews and meet federal prosecutors – hands-on experiences that I wouldn’t have just by sitting in an office. They’ve also used their personal connections to help me network with other government professionals.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?
Interning in an investigative department was daunting at first because I was not familiar with the legal jargon and processes the agents used (like, what’s an indictment? An affidavit?). The first few weeks I struggled with the idea that this internship wasn’t right for me. I had to remind myself that the purpose of an internship is to explore – not only the skills and content I’m familiar with but also what's unfamiliar. This challenge reinforced qualities like proactive communication, problem-solving, and embracing the learning curve, which has made my internship extremely rewarding thus far.
Through the Career and Civic Engagement Center Beyond ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Summer Internship Program, ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï students pursue opportunities in fields such as nonprofits, government and law, health care, research, sciences, business, and the arts. Thanks to the generosity of our alumnae/i and donors, over 150 students across all academic departments are funded to pursue unpaid internships or research experiences in the U.S. and abroad each year.
CAREER & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CENTER GROWTH AND STRUCTURE OF CITIES ECONOMICS DATA SCIENCE