Several interns worked on business innovations, from dashboard automation for compliance systems (Michael Karabinosh) to work management in subsurface construction (Mohammed Afshin) and residential customer energy usage studies (Montasir Mahir). Closing the program, Kira Gottlieb presented on asset management of distributed energy resources, underscoring the growth in integration of renewable resources into the grid. She also built an AI process that automatically generates responses to customer inquiries to facilitate the installation of customer-owned distributed energy resources like solar panels and batteries.

“Each year, I am impressed by how quickly these students adapt and contribute to real-world projects,” said Leon Bukhman ’01, Department Manager at Con Edison and coordinator of the internship program for the past 21 years. In his first year coordinating in 2005, when he started working full time at Con Edison, he worked with the Alumni Foundation to double the size of the program from seven to 14 interns that year, spreading participation to several departments within the company. Prior to that, all interns worked in the Brooklyn/Queens Engineering department at 30 Flatbush Ave. Bukhman himself was part of the inaugural Brooklyn Tech intern cohort in 2000, making his continued leadership of today’s program a full-circle story of mentorship and opportunity. “They aren’t just observing,” he said of the interns. “They are problem-solving and delivering work that makes an impact.”

Since its inception, the program has welcomed more than 270 Brooklyn Tech students, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers at Con Edison and other leading organizations. Dozens have remained with the company beyond their internships, with alumni rising to management positions and others balancing part-time work at Con Edison while attending universities such as Columbia, Yale, and Harvard.

The 2025 cohort reflected Brooklyn Tech’s tradition of excellence and diversity, continuing the program’s legacy as both a training ground and a pipeline for talent in STEM. For the students, the experience offered not only technical growth but also mentorship and professional development in one of the nation’s most complex utility environments.

“The Con Edison Internship Program represents the very best of what partnerships between schools and industry can achieve,” said Dr. Mathew Mandery ’61, Chief Educational Officer of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation. “When we launched this program twenty-five years ago, we hoped it would open doors for a handful of students. To see it now—22 cohorts later—transforming hundreds of lives and building a true bridge from the classrooms of Brooklyn Tech to the heart of New York City’s energy systems is profoundly rewarding. Our students don’t just leave with work experience; they leave with confidence, vision, and a sense of possibility for their futures. That is the true power of this program.”

The event concluded with remarks from Patrick McHugh, Senior Vice President of Electric Operations, who praised the students’ work and reaffirmed the value of this enduring partnership.

As the Con Edison Internship Program moves into its third decade, its mission remains clear: to equip Brooklyn Tech students with the skills, confidence, and connections to power both their own futures and New York City’s evolving energy landscape.