2026 VBA Internship Program Recap
May-August 2026
From May to August 2026, 49 students participated in the VBA Internship Program with 13 banks across the state. Through this program, interns were exposed to the industry through a variety of projects, online coursework, departmental rotations through their banks, community engagement and in-person and virtual training from the VBA. Interns who completed a set of requirements were eligible to receive the VBA Summer Internship Program Certificate of Completion.
In April, the VBA held a virtual Mentor Orientation for bankers who would be serving as intern supervisors throughout the program. Mentors learned about the importance of creating an educational experience for their interns by setting clear learning objectives.
Interns began the program in May at the Intern Orientation, where they learned about the VBA, the banking industry, and how to maximize their summer internship opportunity. Interns heard from members of the VBA Emerging Bank Leaders, who shared their stories about their careers in banking. The interns participated in a session on business etiquette and other HR best practices with Carla Moore, VBA, and Amy Mitchem, Chesapeake Bank, and a session on check fraud with Marydith Newman and Mike Bruno, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
At the Mid-Summer Meet Up in July, interns had an opportunity to interact with the Emerging Bank Leaders Steering Committee and had meaningful discussions on the different capstone topics that were researched throughout the summer. Sam Poole, Chesapeake Bank, joined Bruce Whitehurst for a leadership lessons learned fireside chat, and Jamie Covey, United Bank, shared presentation skills to help the interns prepare for their capstone projects. Interns and EBL members also participated in a session on fintech and innovation with D.J. Seeterlin, Chesapeake Bank. The interns finished the day with a presentation on resumes and interview skills with Colleen Lee and Jeff Collier, C&F Bank.
Throughout the summer, interns also participated in virtual meetings on a variety of banking topics (see below for a full list of topics and presenters). Participating interns also had the opportunity to attend the JA Finance Park in Richmond and a shadow day at the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking in July.
Details about next year’s program will be announced in early 2027.
Congratulations to the Following Students for Earning the VBA Internship Program Certificate of Completion
| Student | Bank |
|---|---|
|
Josephine Niswander Aniyah Johnson Iris Velasquez Zelaya David Roulley Maddie Marriott Sahasra Boggarapu Daniel Holden Zach Hall Justin Webster Katherine Frechette Corbin Auby Cohen Coffman Ashton Hart William Moore Camille Attorri Alaina Crossett Gabriel Gutierrez Brandon Nunez Andre Serra Evan Sussin William Thompson Mark Chen Samuel Shilman May Pham Hayden Raley Brandon Turner Nathan Morris Richard Childress Javier Delgado Abby Porter Abhi Palhatiya Edward Browning Andrew Anderson James Fowler Samuel Thome Christopher Bowman Nash Prinzbach Laura Miller Mason Nesslerodt Zalea Good Dylan Taylor Christian Cilento Noa Denno Luke Prince Aaliyah Grogan Julia Hoover Grady Steele Kloie Brickhouse Caroline DeWitt |
Bank of Clarke Bank of Clarke Bank of Clarke Blue Ridge Bank Blue Ridge Bank Blue Ridge Bank Burke & Herbert Bank Burke & Herbert Bank Burke & Herbert Bank C&F Bank C&F Bank C&F Bank C&F Bank C&F Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chain Bridge Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank Chesapeake Bank First Bank, Virginia First Bank, Virginia First Bank, Virginia First Bank, Virginia First Bank, Virginia First Bank, Virginia First National Bank First National Bank Pendleton Community Bank Pendleton Community Bank Pendleton Community Bank ServisFirst Bank Southern Bank Southern Bank TowneBank TowneBank TowneBank TowneBank TowneBank VBA |
Virtual Meeting Details & Speakers
Enneagram Workshop
Laura Shibut, StartUp Virginia
Banking on Culture: Unlocking Workplace Success
Candace Davenport, First Bank, Virginia (moderator)
Thomas Claiborne, Chesapeake Bank
Meredith Elliott, TowneBank
Stephanie Webb, Benchmark Community Bank
CRA 101
Nathalia Artus, Atlantic Union Bank
The Front Lines of Banking Security
Krys Lassiter, USAA (moderator)
Mike Renner, C&F Bank
Blake Shaw, Benchmark Community Bank
Kari Van Wassen, Chain Bridge Bank
What Are VA Millennial and Gen Z Consumers Seeking?
Presentation by VBA Associate Member Rivel Banking Research
Capstone Project Discussions & Mini-Presentations
Pictures from the Program
