Brayden Joanis '26 (Accounting) Audit Intern

Brayden Joanis '26 (Accounting) was an Audit Intern at EY in Irvine, CA

What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience?

When I was an underclassman, I had a mentor who was a senior at Eller and she interned for EY and loved her experience, which made me excited about the firm. Fast forward to when I applied for Eller, and since I was accounting we had an in-person interview, even though I was admissions with excellence. In that in-person interview, the industry professional that interviewed me happened to be an audit partner for EY in the Phoenix office. In the interview I mentioned that I was looking for an internship in accounting and she told me she worked for EY. Turns out she used to work in the office I was aiming to work for. After the interview she reached out to me and put me in contact with two people who worked in the office. That thanksgiving break, when I went back home, one of the people she connected me with took me on an office tour and introduced me to the recruiter. After that, I had a call with the recruiter and she told me to apply the day it opened and to let her know once I do. After I applied, I got the interview the next day and then did the interview a month later and got the internship!

Tell us about your internship.

A typical week involved 3 days in-office and two days at the client site. My favorite part of the experience was being with the other interns. I met 5 of my best friends during the internship and they made the summer so amazing. I look forward to staying in touch with them. One of the biggest takeaways I learned was to be as proactive as possible. I was always asking for more work once I was done and I always asked how I could be of help. They really appreciated someone who put in the effort and wanted to help.

How did Eller prepare you for this internship and any advice for other students?

Eller prepared me greatly for this experience. One class in particular was BCOM 314. Knowing how to communicate ideas to higher level executives is extremely beneficial. I also had to do a final presentation at the end of the internship and I felt so prepared in knowing how to create a presentation and communicate it to partners at the firm.