What Did Your Internship Allow You To Do? Spring Co-op Students Reflect

Nicole Schebaum – Senior – Applied Mathematics and Medical Physics Major

My internship at Partners Specialty Group has allowed me to gain great knowledge about the insurance industry. It has also allowed me to network with many people who work at various companies. Here I am at my desk where I am always learning new things and helping manage accounts.
 

Brian McAuliffe – Senior – Financial Markets and Economics Analysis Major

My internship at Cerner Corporation has allowed me to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it to the business world. I am currently working in the contract management operations wing of the finance department. In this position I review submitted contracts and report any and all issues and informalities directly to my supervisor. This internship allows me to connect with and assist Cerner Associates and Clients around the world. I am pleased to announce that I have been offered a full-time position at Cerner after graduation.
 

Zachary Pohlman – Junior – Triple Major in Economics, Philosophy and Theology (Pre-law)

At my internship, I work as a Paralegal Assistant for the Federal Public Defender at the Federal Courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas. I have had the opportunity to practice legal writing, attend court hearings, and help an in house lawyer prepare to argue before the Supreme Court! I'm only a sophomore, but this experience has definitely helped me confirm that I want a future in law. 

 

Duncan Preston – Senior

Financial Markets and Economic Analysis Major

During the Spring of 2016, I was allowed the opportunity to work alongside a team of financial analysts within State Street Corporations corporate banking division. The above picture was taken at one of the many networking opportunities that State Street encourages its employees to take advantage of.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Varonica Hamilton – Junior

 Financial Markets and Economic Analysis Major

My internship is unique because I get to do an array of things including: desk work, attending golf tournaments and networking events, to facilitating business opportunity exchanges. Here I am sitting at my desk working on collecting diversity certificates from our vendors whose certificates have expired. This is an ongoing task I frequently do in between the events we have going on.

Co-op Reflections: Accounting Edition

Students with accounting majors reflect on their Co-op experience:

Marija Kotlaja – Junior – Accounting Major

My tax preparation internship at TPP Certified Public Accountants has given me a wonderful insight into the accounting world that I am about to enter full time. I was able to gain exposure to a wide range of individual income taxation concepts as well as a practical working knowledge of the filing requirement for federal, state and local individual income tax returns. 

 

Ollie Tettamble - Sophomore

Double Major in Accounting and Financial Markets and Economic Analysis

Not only does my accounting internship have some great perks (like casual Fridays!) but my real-world experience in accounting has taught me so much more in a short amount of time than I could have ever imagined. Here I am calculating current maturities for my company's lease payments.
 

 

Brian Davis – Senior – Corporate Finance and Accounting Major

I currently work at Cerner Corporation on the project management team in the US Consulting Organization. Working at Cerner has allowed me to enhance my overall business skills, and I have been fortunate to be exposed to a variety of projects during my time here.  My team often asks for my input on new processes, which has been extremely beneficial in my development as a professional. Plus jeans casual everyday isn't too bad either.

Elizabeth Uxa – Senior – Accounting Major

This semester I had the opportunity to work at Summit Sportswear, a small business that designs and sells  ladies and  youth collegiate apparel. My task within the company is to enter bills and create the invoices for our customers. Communication is key within a small organization because everything I do, somehow affects someone else within the company. Here is a photo of myself with my coworkers before one of our weekly meetings.

 

 

R.J. Bondon – Senior – Accounting Major

After completing my tax internship with KPMG this spring, I can finally reflect on the wonderful experience I had with the firm. I learned almost every aspect of the tax department during the past few months and cannot wait to see where public accounting takes me.

 

Will Brockmeyer – Junior – Accounting Major

Wagstaff and Cartmell gives me the opportunity to work on various different projects. It's interesting to see all the aspects of the court system and the preparation that goes into it. Here I am sorting through client information to input into our system, NetDocs. This is just one of the several projects I am currently working on. 

If You Don’t Ask, the Answer is Always No

By Michael Dodds, Senior, Accounting Major

When I think about where I am at this point in my educational and professional path—an accounting senior getting ready to graduate at the end of this year, a bookkeeper getting ready to start a second internship as an auditor, a future CPA—I cannot help but think that it all started with a simple question.  Approximately one and a half years ago, I approached a small business owner and asked for the opportunity to learn from her.  She conducted her own daily bookkeeping and I thought it would be a great opportunity to gain some real-world experience and get my foot in the door.

 That experience paid off exponentially as it laid the foundation for my next major professional step; working as an auditor with a regional CPA firm this summer.  This auditing internship started much like the first.  I had to ask for it.  After being told I wasn’t in the right year and that I should be focused on two-day leadership programs instead of full-time internships, I went out on a limb and asked for the opportunity anyway.  Despite having never been one to buy into the “Ask and ye shall receive” mantras, as my own experiences have come to be shaped by it, I understand and appreciate the truth in it; if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.  

 

If I could give one piece of advice to someone seeking an internship, it is to ask for it.  The answer may not always be yes but the more you ask, the more opportunities you may get.  In my experience, if you ask for the chance to get your foot in the door, it makes it significantly easier to get the door open and where you want to be.