Introducing our 2024 Summer Interns
The JSSI internship program provides dynamic opportunities for highly motivated students to grow, learn, and engage in a professional work environment, and explore a career in aviation. Launched in 2009, over 100 interns from schools across the United States have graduated from our program. Over 20 interns have been hired into full-time roles.
We’re just about halfway through this year’s internship program featuring our newest group of young professionals, with interns serving in several departments. Keep reading to get to know JSSI’s 2024 Intern Class!
Brandon Leong
jssi parts & leasing
School/Year: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical School, Senior (Class of 2024)
Major: Aviation/Aerospace Marketing
Hometown: Port Orange, Florida
Goal for the Next Year: Run a marathon
"Aviation has always been at the forefront of my interests – planes are the 8th wonder of the world.
During my internship, I’ve learned that there is always a more efficient way to get things done – and data is at the front and center of generating efficiencies. It has been great learning how to create dashboards that can be manipulated for both real-time and historical data. Every JSSI department has the ability to help each other, and it has been rewarding to work with different teams as JSSI Parts & Leasing interacts with so many clients and functions.”
TANMAY VARSHNEY
SOFTWARE
School/Year: Ohio State University, Junior (Class of 2026)
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Aurora, Illinois
Hobbies Outside of School/Work: Spending time with family and friends, playing sports – joined a rec league for pickleball this summer
"Growing up, I was always fond of vehicles and motorsports and took an early interest in cars, planes, and trains. I always hoped to work with transportation, especially as I grew up and visited different countries around the world, seeing the variety of public transit and air travel systems in each place.
The opportunity to work with many different members of the software team has presented me with a lot of learning experiences over the last month: creating a demo in Microsoft Fabric, documentation and webpage changes, and programming language. I hope to continue collaborating with other teams and eventually plan and complete a project of my own by the end of the summer.”
DEVON RODRIGUEZ
ADVISORY SERVICES
School/Year: University of Delaware, Senior (Class of 2025)
Major: Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Hockessin, Delaware
Goal for the Next Year: Find a fulltime job I am passionate about
"I am new to aviation but when an opportunity excites you, you jump on it. After learning more about JSSI, my interest in the industry deepened and I knew I couldn’t pass on this internship.
Taking this internship in a field I was new to has helped me grow in many ways, from learning how to tackle something completely new to understanding how the machine that is JSSI works. Getting an in-depth understanding of the company and its many products and services through the eyes of JSSI Advisory Services (a department that works across the entire organization!) has allowed me to learn why clients consistently choose JSSI.”
MINHYUNG KIM
PARTS & LEASING
School/Year: Kansas State University, Senior (Class of 2025)
Major: Aviation Management, Business Technology, and Aviation Safety Minor
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Class in College that Best Prepared You for Your Internship Experience: Aviation Safety & Operations and Human Resource Management
"Aviation is in my blood – my parents have been in the aviation industry for over 25 years. As a child I was always fascinated by the aviation workers at the airport when we went on family trips, and I always knew this is the career path I would follow.
My internship has already allowed me to work on so many skills: customer service, parts sales, customer support, and so much more. I know that what I’m learning this summer is going to help me overall in my career after college.”
KAAN KOCABAL
AVIATION CAPITAL
School/Year: Indiana University, Junior (Class of 2026)
Major: Economic and Quantitative Methods
Hometown: McLean, Virginia
Goal for the Next Year: Expand my network of contacts & build strong relationships within the aviation industry
“Aviation has always been a part of my life; both of my parents worked in the industry – and my dad is still involved today. I went from a little boy hypnotized watching planes to pursuing a career in the amazing world of aviation.
Interning with JSSI, I have learned a lot in a short amount of time: from implementing proper due diligence methods during the client onboarding process to creating term sheets, and building financial models. The skills I’m gaining in this role will help me succeed as I work toward finishing my degree and beyond.”
MOLLY FAUL
CLIENT SERVICES
School/Year: Furman University, Senior (Class of 2025)
Major: Communications
Hometown: Bradenton, Florida
Class in College that Best Prepared You for Your Internship Experience: International Communications
“My internship experience is providing me invaluable exposure to client relations across JSSI – enhancing skills transferable within the aviation industry and beyond.
Since starting, I’ve learned how to manage client relationships, gained knowledge from the contracts team, and how to proactively address any issue or client concern; my ability to problem-solve has grown immensely this summer.”
LUCAS HARRIS
UNDERWRITING
School/Year: University of Wisconsin, Senior (Class of 2025)
Major: Economics
Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida
Hobbies Outside of School/Work: Working out, playing golf and tennis, trying new restaurants, traveling, and watching movies
“I have loved aviation for my entire life. I grew up with a plane collection of several different aircraft models, and my love and interest for the industry has never faded.
By understanding how JSSI is structured and learning how all the business units within the company work together, I’ve been able to better serve the goals of the underwriting department. My knowledge in business tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, and Salesforce have already grown tenfold this summer.”
Angelina ZHANG
CONKLIN & DE DECKER
School/Year: Columbia University, 2nd Year Masters (Class of 2024)
Major: Enterprise Risk Management
Hometown: Nanjing, China
Hobbies Outside of School/Work: Exploring New York where I live – restaurants and cafes, museums, constantly finding something new to try and see
“Since childhood, I have always been fascinated by watching planes and the excitement of how they transport people to new places. This early fascination has evolved into a deep appreciation for the industry's ability to bridge cultures, foster economic growth, and drive innovation.
My background has instilled in me a passion for leveraging data-driven solutions to solve complex challenges, and my internship at JSSI allows me the opportunity to apply my skills in market research, data analysis, and strategic recommendations to an industry I’m truly passionate about. The internship has not only sharpened my technical skills but also reinforced the importance of precision and efficiency in delivering impactful solutions.”
brysen WILLIAMS
PARTS & LEASING
School/Year: Auburn University, Senior (Class of 2025)
Major: Aviation Management
Hometown: Fairhope, Alabama
Goal for the Next Year: I have my Private Pilot License and I hope to fly more
“I’ve been lucky enough to grow up traveling, and as a child I always loved the airport – flying was my favorite part of vacations, and I always wanted to sit by the window.
I’ve had the opportunity to work at JSSI’s Parts & Leasing warehouse in Kentucky this summer in the shipping and receiving department. This role has taught me a lot about the business side of providing service to our customers and seeing firsthand how I am able to make a difference in this industry with JSSI.”
We’re grateful to our 2024 intern class for choosing to spend their summer in Chicago with us at our headquarters! It’s a joy to see the energy and impact you bring to our teams and overall business.
JSSI is the leading independent provider of aircraft maintenance support and financial services to the business aviation industry.
