Stepping into the Real World: Auditing Internship with SWIFT

By: Joey Harrison, Honors College Sophomore

Unfortunately, summer break is no longer the time for sleeping in late, staying up all night, and living worry-free. Well, it isn’t for me at least. I started off my summer with a week of relaxation in the Outer Banks. When I returned home, it was a quick transition back to reality. On June 27^th, I underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum that occurred during my volleyball season. This meant no sports (i.e., no fun at all) for the entire summer. Luckily, I had a job lined up that would take my mind off of my injury.

I had the opportunity to gain both memories and amazing experience as I interned with a bank-telecommunications company called SWIFT. I worked alongside the chief auditor and several other audit managers and provided my skills on a multitude of projects. On top of the wonderful experience, I was able to network and connect with great people that can surely assist me with my professional advancement down the road. Working a “9 to 5” definitely gave me a taste of what life is like after graduation and although the clock seemed to stand still some days, the learning never stopped.

The projects started off simple and became more challenging. I was first tasked with updating documents; you know, the usual intern busy work. Before long, I was spending many hours in one-on-one meetings with executive level employees. The most nerve-racking time was when the chief auditor came in from Belgium for a week. The first day he was there, he asked for my input on how to more effectively present data to the Audit and Financial Committee board members. Obviously, this was way over my head… but after hours and hours of brainstorming and collaborating, we finalized the presentation, and he was very satisfied.

Prior to the internship, the only thing I knew about internal auditing was how to spell it. Now, I have experience with every aspect of that department, and I appreciate how important it is for it to work efficiently and effectively. It was a wonderful experience and I am truly lucky to have had the opportunity.

Qualifying for a prestigious internship such as this one would have been extremely difficult if it weren’t for the experiences and support that the Honors College has provided. The faculty members of the Honors College pursue a personal connection with each of the students not because they have to, but because they truly care. From the random “Great job” emails from Dr. Fraley to the “Just checking in” e-mails from Mr. Baxter, you’ll never find a better home away from home.