2025 Summer Internship: Learning from Coworkers, Team Members, and Friends

By Owen Chen, Finance Intern

My experience as the summer Finance Intern has been extremely valuable—not only in working with the Finance team, but also in connecting with diverse and accomplished professionals every week. The Pension Boards staff has been extremely welcoming, and their mission of connecting faith and finance inspires employees to do great work.

My experience with the Finance team has been one of constant learning. There is so much material that is not taught in the classroom, so being able to gain real-world experience allowed me to develop professionally.

Attending the weekly leadership roundtable sessions with staff exposed me to different kinds of work from each department. I collaborated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and skillsets, gleaning from their career journeys and experiences that ultimately led them to the Pension Boards. These weekly meetings made it clear that everyone is here because they believe in the mission and have a strong sense of purpose.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone I worked with—from the Investments, Accounting, and Center of Excellence teams to everyone else who generously shared their knowledge and time with me. I am grateful to the People and Culture team for organizing our events and leadership roundtables, and being so quick to give me a temporary pass when I forgot my building ID. I also want to thank my fellow interns for being so open with each other and contributing to a great internship experience.

I'm truly grateful to the Pension Boards for this opportunity. This experience will stay with me as I continue my professional journey. I would love to come back one day and further contribute to the Pension Boards’ mission.