As an accounting major and dual citizen of both the U.S. and U.K., I was very interested in how IFAC approached accounting from an international perspective to capture all opinions and viewpoints.
What attracted you to IFAC when you joined?
What attracted me to IFAC was the diversity and accepting culture associated with the organization. Additionally, as an accounting major and dual citizen of both the U.S. and U.K., I was very interested in how the organization approached accounting from an international perspective to capture all opinions and viewpoints.
What types of projects did you work on?
I worked on a variety of different projects during my time here. I first started by helping assess the applications for IFAC's Young Leaders Collective alongside my fellow intern Lauren. I then worked to summarize panel meetings for my manager along with putting together a presentation on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is looking to impact Accountancy Education. Additionally, I started a couple of articles and collaborated with all members of the intern class to give a presentation on AI to the board.
What was your most memorable experience?
It is so hard to choose. My internship here at IFAC was such a fun and unique experience and my most memorable experiences were all the times I got to connect and get to know the amazing employees here at IFAC. Whether it was giving me information about their career path, helping me with a task, or even telling me where the coffee machine was, everyone here at IFAC was what made each day so memorable.
What’s the most valuable skill you gained from your internship?
The most valuable skills I gained from this internship were how to communicate effectively in an office workplace while also maintaining good relationships with your coworkers. The ability to form strong relationships with the people you work with makes working in a team that much easier and more enjoyable and I would really like to thank the members of my team, Bruce, Karen, and Michelle for showing me this.
What have you learned about the accounting profession that surprised you?
Something I learned about the accounting profession that surprised me is just how different every country is in their requirements necessary to be an accountant. You don’t realize how difficult it is to make these standards until you understand just how different every country is with their procedures.
What advice do you have for others going into internships?
Some advice I would have for others going into internships would be to be work hard, leave good impressions with everyone you talk to, and make every moment count. You never know how much you could be helping yourself in the future by going that extra mile now.