Andre Boccaccio Lopez '27 Launch Intern

Andre Boccaccio Lopez '27 (Accounting & MIS) was a Launch Intern at EY in Phoenix, AZ.

The firm aided by providing online resources on where to find housing and created a LinkedIn group for all Phoenix office interns this summer, for us to connect. I ended up going for a long term Airbnb rental which served me well and was a very short drive to the office. No specific funds dedicated to housing, but they did offer a generous $2000 signing bonus which helped to alleviate some of the housing costs. Also, they did offer specific reimbursement funds for commuting to the office. 

What was a typical day like?

My typical day would start off by first commuting to the office. Most of my teams had the majority of the work week in office or at a client site, but I did get occasional remote days. Once at the office, I would meet with my assigned team and usually first go over any new emails or messages that had come in. After that, my team either had something prepared for me to work on, or I would ask to see where they needed me for the day. By midday, we would get lunch together at noon, usually something local, or delivery if at a client site. Lunch would vary depending on how busy the team was. We had some shorter lunches, with a minimum of 30 minutes, and the longest one was just over an hour and a half. Afterwards, our team would return to our work (we all had a shared workroom with many stations for us to use). Occasionally, we had Teams meetings with clients, if so we would go to a conference room so everyone could listen in. By the end of day, I would be wrapping up the assigned task or going over next steps with my team to continue working the next day. 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

I loved getting to meet so many new people. A lot of new faces at the firm, everyone from staff to partners. They all brought in such a different and valuable perspective to what they do at the firm, and it was a pleasure to be able to take in their insights and thoughts. Along with that, the events the firm hosted were always the best way to meet these people. Through intern events or team lunches is the primary way I got to meet these people. It was great to take a step away from the day to day and share time together over a meal. My favorite part was making those connections with so many great people!

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

I would first say that this wasn't a "big" project necessarily. But in the context of the different teams I worked with, being able to do actual client-facing work was very valuable and definitely a step above adding notes and updating trackers. The work I was able to do consisted of two IT control walkthroughs. I feel very grateful that my team had the trust to be able to assign me direct work that one of their full-time staff would also be doing. I feel that I was so new and stuff like this would be some ways away, but it was amazing to drive straight into this world and navigate what came with it. Of course, they didn't just throw me into the deep end, but they gave me instruction and insight into the bigger picture and how these independent walkthroughs tie into it all. I felt this was one of the best learning moments from the internship, and it definitely made me want to return for more of this type of work. It made me see myself in a position like that ready to grow. 

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

Talk to people, open those doors, and keep knocking. I found out that I was recruited fairly late for this internship. I believe it was the perfect combination of the right opportunity and the right effort. The firm needed one more intern and at the same time I was having conversations with their recruiter about opportunities at the firm. That combination helped for me to get my foot in the door, and in early January, I was able to get an offer. If you can do this with any company, big or small, then not only do you have that growth opportunity, but they are investing in you too. Take advantage of that, and use the resources that the firm provides for their interns. They want to see you grow just as much as you do, and they will show it. So don't be afraid to knock on doors or begin that conversation, because you're really only one away from getting the opportunity you've been seeking out. 

Anything else you would like to share about your summer experience?

This was a rotational internship. Each week I was assigned to a new team, and my main rotations consisted of Tech Risk for two weeks, Audit for one week, and Tax for three weeks. New teams meant new clients, so while some of the week would be similar or carry over across the weeks, you can also see the differences between clients and the work that needs to be done with each. Each team had a main point of contact or host, which you could lean on for support throughout. I very much enjoyed this and it helped me to narrow down what type of work I'd like to do in the future.