Baker Newman Noyes hosts three-day accounting internship experience for 17 undergraduate students
PORTLAND, Maine – Baker Newman Noyes, one of the nation’s top 125 accounting firms, recently hosted 17 college students for a unique three-day internship. The program was designed for students to gain insight into what a career in public accounting entails and to experience the firm’s culture and atmosphere.
“This is our first year hosting the program, and it was a huge success,” says Andrew Smith, principal and member of the firm’s recruiting team. “In just three days, the students got an inside look at our audit, tax and consulting practices, as well as our operations department, and were able to participate in one of our annual community service projects, the United Way Day of Caring. It was a great learning experience for the students, as well as for our professionals. We look forward to hosting the program again next year.” Smith himself was an intern before starting his career at BNN in 1998. He became a tax principal in 2013.
Students from the University of New Hampshire, the University of Maine, Husson University, Thomas College, and the College of the Holy Cross attended the program. “We decided to focus our efforts on reaching undergraduates on the earlier side of college, before they’ve settled on one area of focus,” says Jennifer Harnish, director of human resources. “This allows the students the opportunity to get their feet wet before diving into one profession, and allows BNN the opportunity to get in front of potential future job applicants. It was a win-win.”
“The internship program has been a fixture of our firm’s culture since its founding 20 years ago,” said Eleanor Baker, managing principal. “It has grown significantly over the last several years to include approximately 15 students per year in both our tax and audit practices. It was a pleasure meeting the next generation of leaders, and I look forward to seeing this program continue to flourish.”
Students got the chance to meet firm leaders, learn about BNN’s mentoring program and career tracks, and hear from professionals in all stages of their career. They also participated in a session on CPA exam preparation. In addition to the daily professional activities, the participants were treated to an evening out to dinner and bowling and attended a Sea Dogs game with several BNN professionals.