Luther senior Krayem interns at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Iowa

Belal Krayem, Luther college senior, majoring in accounting and data science, served as an internal audit intern for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Iowa during summer 2017. Krayem made such an impression that he was offered a fall internship with the FHLB Operational Risk department.

His fall internship consists of analyzing and reviewing data basis and quality assurance reports, giving him more experience in data science. Krayem attended training to learn about his new role and is now working remotely while still taking classes on Luther’s campus.

During his summer internship as an internal audit intern, Krayem learned how the bank operated, specifically in the area of policies and procedures. He collaborated with employees from diverse departments within the bank.

Krayem learned the value of speaking up in times of uncertainty in an internship. “When you are an intern or starting your first job, nobody expects you to be an expert or know what you are doing. So, ask questions, because it will save time for everyone, and you will feel less confused and learn quicker,” said Krayem.

He also learned the power in networking and building professional relationships. In talking to others and receiving advice, Krayem felt more accepted in his internship. Conversations he had with employees across the bank, not just in his internal auditing department, led to strong mentorships and new friendships.

Krayem was able to recognize the value of the liberal arts within his internship at FHLB. In addition to gaining professional work experience, he saw he was able to apply what he learned in Luther classrooms at the internship, which opened avenues for future work experiences. The flexible and versatile working environment enabled Krayem to utilize his strengths and develop where he could use growth.

Krayem completed school at United World College of the Adriatic in Italy before attending Luther College.

Approximately 10 percent of Luther students take an internship for academic credit each academic year. The Luther College Career Center assists students with their internship search through resume preparation, networking, online internship searches, career fairs, on-campus interviewing, and connecting the student to alumni through the college’s Alumni Internship Program. Students also meet with a faculty adviser prior to the internship to create an internship learning plan that includes learning goals and assessment benchmarks. An internship work supervisor also assists in the process by writing an evaluation of the student at the end of the internship. Students also complete a self-reflection form to help finalize the learning experience.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,050, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.