Two Centenary Kappa Alpha Order members chosen for national internship program
SHREVEPORT, LA — Two members of Centenary’s Alpha Iota chapter of Kappa Alpha Order have been chosen for the fraternity’s competitive E. Fleming Mason Memorial Internship Program this summer. Patrick Riley, a rising senior from Baton Rouge, and Jonathan Thomson, a graduating senior from Corsicana, Texas, will both complete internships this summer through this prestigious national program. Centenary’s KA chapter is the first to secure two internship spots for its members in a single summer through this program.
Riley will be interning with the Wilkinson, Barker, and Knauer law firm in Washington, D.C., while Thomson will be working with a fellow Centenary and KA alumnus, Jason Wingert, at Wingert Real Estate in Dallas, Texas. Both Riley and Thomson credit Centenary alumnus and past E. Fleming Mason recipient Gage Dabin ’18 with encouraging them to apply for the internship program.
The application process required multiple essays, an interview, letters of recommendation, and a thorough review of the students’ academic records and their activities as members of KA. Many Centenary faculty members and KA alumni provided advice and support along the way, including Dr. Amanda Donahoe, Dr. David Hoaas, Dr. Mark Leeper, KA faculty advisor Dan Santelices, and alumni Gabe Rodriguez and Dr. Steven Bell in addition to Dabin.
Riley, a graduate of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, is majoring in political science with a legal studies minor and plans to attend law school after graduation. He is a member of the Gents 2021 SCAC championship soccer team, an SGA senior senator, and currently serves as president of the Alpha Iota chapter of KA.
“Having worked at the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana, Hargrove, Smelley, & Strickland, APLC, and for Governor John Bel Edwards, I decided that it was time to expand my experiences beyond Louisiana and to represent Centenary’s Alpha Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order and Centenary in the best way that I can,” explained Riley. “I intend to go into politics after law school, because I feel that elected office is the best way to create a positive change on the lives of Americans, particularly here in Louisiana. I know that an opportunity to see government relations in action in the nation’s capital will prepare me to better understand the intricacies of our government for my career.”
Thomson will graduate this week with a degree in business administration and plans to pursue a career in the legal field concentrating on financial and real estate litigation. He is also a member of the Gents championship soccer team and served as Interfraternity Council vice president and delegate during his time at Centenary.
“I feel that this internship is the perfect bridge in my transition from Centenary to the professional world,” said Thomson. “After speaking to Jason Wingert, I am confident that his internship program is an advantageous insight into the ins and outs into the world of real estate. The E. Fleming Mason internship program is selective with a history of producing successful individuals. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent Centenary, Kappa Alpha Order and Alpha Iota in Dallas this summer.”