Meet the Summer 2023 Recipients of the Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award
The Volcker Alliance celebrates this summer’s Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award recipients: Ethan Fragoso, Ava Lemke, and Efren Trejo Pantaleon. The $3,000 stipend awarded to these students supports them during a summer internship. Each of their internship placements reflects the award’s overarching goal—to open doors for Next Generation Service Corps students to explore government work and raise awareness about the range of opportunities in public service. These internships also support their pursuit of a certificate in cross-sector leadership at their respective NextGen Service programs.
Learn more below about the summer 2023 awardees and join us in celebrating their achievements.
Ethan Fragoso
Summer Internship Employer: Lake Station City Hall (Indiana)
Ethan Fragoso is a junior pursuing a bachelor of science in public affairs at Indiana University’s Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. As an economic and community development intern at Lake Station City Hall, Fragoso has supported their research and development of funding opportunities and facilitated their City Hall’s first business education program, fostering entrepreneurial skills in their community.
As a first-generation college student, he aspires to change the world by helping others overcome obstacles and continuing to reach new heights for himself and his family. Fragoso describes facing significant challenges throughout his life, including the loss of his mother when he was only 17 years old. “Although my story is far from finished, I hope my journey can inspire others to follow their dreams — no matter how big or impossible they may seem,” Fragoso says. He looks forward to the opportunities the award has given him to better himself as both an individual and a leader within his community.
Ava Lemke
Summer Internship Employer: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Care and Treatment Services
As an undergraduate student at the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University, Wisconsin native Ava Lemke is working towards a bachelor of arts in political science, with a minor in disability studies. Through her internship, Lemke is learning about recreational therapy and the history of medical treatment of people with disabilities firsthand from experts at the Division of Care and Treatment Services. After graduation, Lemke intends to pursue a career serving the disabled community.
Lemke serves on the ASU Accessibility Coalition’s executive board. This coalition focuses on cultivating safe, inclusive spaces for individuals with disabilities. Most recently, Lemke was elected to serve on the Arizona Center for Disability Law’s Board of Directors, where she is tasked with upholding the organization’s mission, vision, and values by providing insight on strategy, oversight, and stakeholder accountability.
Efren Trejo Pantaleon
Summer Internship Employer: California Governor’s Office
Efren Trejo Pantaleon is a first-generation, third-year undergraduate student at Arizona State University, pursuing a bachelor of social work, with a minor in global studies, and a certificate in Latino politics & policy. Efren is passionate about connecting people with resources.
With support from the Paul A. Volcker Government Internship Award and ASU’s Sacramento Scholars Program, Pantaleon is interning this summer with the Office of California Governor Newsom’s Constituent Affairs and Appointments Unit. There, he has the opportunity to interact directly with California’s constituents and performs a wide range of tasks, such as performing background checks for potential appointees.
Pantaleon intends to use this experience and his studies at the School of Social Work to serve immigrants, migrants, and asylum seekers who are in the process of settling into the United States in the future.
The Alliance looks forward to supporting these awardees as they continue down their respective paths in the world of public service.
