Internship Spotlight: Ali Brewer, Jane Cathcart & Associates

Ali Brewer '24 BSBA (Accounting & Global Business with a Sports Management Certificate) was a Global Intern at EJane Cathcart & Associates in Glasthule Co. Dublin, Ireland

If you worked on a big project during your internship, please describe what you did to help. 
I did not work on a specific big project during my internship. Everything I did was more continuous. Every week, we would get new paperwork from the same companies, so it was more keeping their accounts up to date. It felt like a large project because it just kept going. However, there isn’t an end to it, because they are going to keep getting paperwork after we leave.

What did you find most challenging about your internship?
The thing I found most challenging about my internship, was adjusting from a school schedule, to a full-time working schedule. Especially being in a place as amazing as Dublin, it was difficult seeing the best in my experience when I wanted to do other things such as sight seeing or hanging out on the coast that was only a five-minute walk away. I did find enough time to enjoy the culture of Dublin, as well as enjoy my internship, however it was a huge adjustment from my class schedule at school. I got into a nice schedule and figured out how to manage my time, so I made it to work, but I was still able to enjoy the best of Europe.

What advice do you have for other students that are also considering interning abroad?
DO IT! My advice would be: full send!! I can guarantee you will regret not doing something more than you would ever regret spending the money, getting less sleep, or missing a summer at home. The experience will always be worth it. Having an internship abroad is such an amazing experience in so many ways. I was so nervous about going across the world without knowing anyone, but looking back, Dublin feels like another home to me, and I can’t imagine not meeting some of the amazing people who are here with me.

How did Eller (or your previous coursework) prepare you for your internship? 
For my internship, I didn’t need a lot of coursework knowledge to succeed. I was able to apply a few basic accounting topics, but for the most part, I just had to learn their processes and software systems. The thing that was most helpful in my experience, were the networking and business communication skills I learned in Eller. These will be applicable wherever you go. When learning how to work in a different culture, and with a lot of different kinds of people, having these basic communication skills go a long way. I thanked Eller on a daily basis for being able to effectively communicate and it ultimately helped me make the most out of my internship.