Impacting Through Interning

I received my Schneider Downs internship because of a huge referral opportunity.

I wasn’t supposed to intern in Summer 2023 because I had missed the application deadline. Schneider Downs wasn’t on my radar then. Around December 2022, I had told my advisor and another church acquaintance on separate occasions about how I had wanted to try an internship doing tax work. “Schneider Downs is a great place to start,” they both said. “It provides a great, well-rounded experience to start your career.” Because of SD’s flexibility, they worked me into the Summer 2023 Tax team.

After working at SD for nine weeks, I can confirm that a Schneider Downs internship provides a well-rounded experience, not only in your discipline but also in whatever fields you are interested in.

I am currently going into my senior year at Waynesburg University, and I am still unsure of what discipline I want to take within public accounting or if I want to do public accounting. However, my work at Schneider Downs has put me in realistic and practical situations where my accounting knowledge in other disciplines fits into the big picture. For example:

• I am studying for the CMA Exam which focuses on cost management, controls, compliance with GAAP, etc. As a tax intern, I have seen company income statements and balance sheets which have allowed me to analyze their financial situation with cost management in mind.
• Sometimes, I see trial balances where a client has mistakenly misstated an expense. This might have tax ramifications, but it always affects their reporting. With a few corrections, I have helped clients comply, report accurately, and earn tax-savings.
• Non-profit clients describe their control systems and processes which must be reported on a 990 Return. I have learned some of these practices and how they keep theft and fraud from occurring within their organization. 

In addition, through their intern program, SD presents all the firm’s services and specific practices to the interns, which has given me opportunities to learn about each department’s work and their disciplines. I have made connections with shareholders and managers in other departments, and they have explained how their practice is interrelated with all the other practices at the firm. For example, Consulting and Managed Accounting Services help clients perform efficiently and accurately. Then, Audit performs an external audit of the financial statements, and Tax performs their tax planning and return preparation using those same statements. All the services are interrelated, and I have learned so much about each link in this chain. 

So, whether you are considering public accounting, corporate accounting, financial planning, or whatever other discipline withing the accounting/finance umbrella, a Schneider Downs internship provides a look into and experience in all of them. I have been able to use my specific skill set to make an impact with clients and the SD team, and Schneider Downs has intentionally given me those opportunities. That’s why I have loved and grown through my internship.

I don’t know for sure what track I want to take within the finance world, but Schneider Downs has intentionally pushed me to see every aspect they can show so that I make an informed decision. They want me to be where I want to be, and, if I don’t know where that is yet, they go out of their way to help me find it. 

Start Your Career with Schneider Downs

You’ll find that it is our people who make Schneider Downs a special place to work. Personable and gifted, our diverse group of professionals includes some of the most respected professionals in their fields. To learn more about our open positions and internship programs, visit our careers page.