Siri Takes me to Schneider Downs

Going into my junior year at Ohio State, my goal for first semester was to obtain a summer internship in order to gain some accounting experience before earning my degree.  After the interview process, I anxiously waited to hear back from Schneider Downs.  I was trying not to get my hopes up, but all along it was the company I wished to receive an offer from.  Sure enough, I received the good news.  After accepting the offer, I had to wait seven months before I actually began the internship.  Six months later, as my June 1 start date was rapidly approaching, my nerves crept in.  This was primarily due to the fact that I had no idea what to expect. 

When June 1 arrived, I made sure to get up extra early to prepare myself for my first day.  I left my apartment with ample time to make my three-mile commute.  However, it didn’t prove to be enough time.  I input the office address into my phone and was a bit surprised that it was a twenty minute drive.  Nevertheless, I always trust in Siri.  I had a pretty good idea of where the office was, as my commute downtown is only a few miles, so when I was told to get on the highway I became a bit worried.  About 10 minutes in to my drive, I soon came to the realization that I was nowhere near downtown.  I began panicking, knowing I would not be on time for my first day.   This was the ultimate worst-case scenario for how my day could begin.  Showing up 15 minutes late was not the first impression I wished to make.  However, when I finally made it, everyone was very understanding, and it became something to laugh about.  From then on, I felt comfortable.  It showed how flexible and welcoming the employees at Schneider Downs are.  Since then, things have gone much smoother. 

I am slightly over halfway finished with my internship, and I believe I have grown and learned a lot in these seven weeks.  Perhaps the most important thing that I can take from my experience thus far is my reaffirmation that I wish to begin a career in public accounting.  I have been able to work with many employees from all different staff levels, and also work with a variety of clients.  I have done meaningful work, and have actually felt like a part of a team.  I came into the internship with one goal and one hope.  My goal was to learn as much as I possibly could about auditing and accounting in general, while getting the real-world experience that I had lacked. This has been challenging, but rewarding.  I have learned a great deal that I know I would not have learned at Ohio State.  My hope was to enjoy my job, so that I did not have to tell my parents that my three years of studying accounting was a waste; because although I enjoyed my accounting classes up to this point, I took a shot in the dark when picking accounting as a major.  Without any real experience in business, I had to rely purely on classroom experience when choosing my specialization.  After seven weeks, I confidently believe that I made the right decision.  I’ve been able to meet many extremely genuine and intelligent people here that are passionate about accounting and also seem to enjoy their job.  As an intern, it has felt very apparent at times the great amount of knowledge I still have to gain in this field.  At times, it has felt overwhelming, but it’s also in a way exciting.  It has made me eager to begin my last year of classes, and also to embark on the journey of becoming a CPA.  I am excited to continue learning from the employees around me, and I look forward to the second half of my internship.  

Read more about Schneider Downs internships here