Wednesday, Mar 5, 2014
Five accounting students will soon begin interning or working full-time at KPMG
by David J. Pavlak
Most accounting students dream of being able to crunch the numbers at a Big Four accounting firm. This opportunity became a reality for five Rider University students when they learned recently that they had been accepted to work at KPMG. Matthew Sampson, Kristin Elias, Timothy Monticchio and Manuel Vargas will all be interning this summer while Tanuj Kumar has secured a full-time position.
Iram Khan ’13 an audit associate at KPMG and a former intern, believes that having the opportunity to work for KPMG will provide students with the tools they need to thrive in the field.
“As an intern, your main responsibility is to soak in all of the knowledge and assist the engagement team as much as possible,” she says. “Internships like this one provide a preview of what working full-time at the company would be like. It helps you decide early on if this is what you want to do after graduation.”
At Rider, experiential learning is an important part of the accounting curriculum. Co-ops and internships provide opportunities for students to make connections between classroom learning and professional application and to develop a competitive edge by graduating with business experience. In addition to a large firm like KPMG, students co-op or intern at other Big Four, regional and small public accounting firms, as well as corporate settings and governmental positions.
The accounting department encourages every student to complete at least one co-op or internship during their undergraduate program. An internship is typically a summer employment experience that provides students an opportunity to engage in professional activities and work alongside full-time employees. A co-op is a more intensive, full-time position, worked during a semester of a student’s junior year of undergraduate study, or during graduate school.
Many employers use the internship or co-op program as a first step as a means to hire full-time employees. Students who are interested in co-ops and internships should speak to their academic advisor during their sophomore year.
For more information about KPMG's internship program, visit www.kpmgcampus.com/global-mindset/internships.