Popular hires half of interns from revamped summer program
Popular Inc. has completed its 2025 Summer Internship Program, which drew 538 applicants and selected 46 students, including master’s and Juris Doctor candidates.
The program, which ran from late May through August, was designed to align academic interests with the bank’s talent needs. Interns were placed in five areas: data analytics (six students), process improvement (eight), technology and innovation (10), business (seven) and corporate functions (15). The hybrid format had students working three days in-office and two remotely.
“This new approach allowed us to directly connect the internship experience with the organization’s real talent needs,” said Gabriela Santiago-Castro, project coordinator at Banco Popular. “Students learned, immersed themselves in our culture, values and future vision, while sharing their knowledge and adding value to the areas where they worked.”
The program also emphasized professional and personal development. Interns attended leadership talks, including a session with Popular Inc. President Javier D. Ferrer, and joined wellness activities such as the “Wellness Popular” program, which gave them access to new gym facilities at the Muñoz Rivera 200 building.
“We wanted students to experience what it truly means to work at Popular: an organization that invests in the holistic well-being of its employees,” Santiago-Castro said.
By the end of the program, 23 participants, or 50% of the group, were hired full-time. Applications for the 2026 edition will open in October, with a deadline of Jan. 31, 2026.
