OCTOBER
INTERN of the MONTH
ROBIN BARRE
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
PO Box 6387
Cleveland, OH
Major: Accounting and Finance
Clubs/Organizations: IMA and Club Basketball
How did you find out about the internship?
Ashland University Career Fair.
How long did it take you to secure the internship position?
I had sent a thank you e-mail to the Federal Reserve's Representatives that had taken time to attend the Career Fair. They contacted me about a month later with the opening. I interviewed and after one week I had secured the intern position.
Did the Career Development Center help you in acquiring the internship?
Yes. The Career Development Center had taken the time to set up the Career Fair that The Federal Reserve was attending. The CDC also helped me improve my interviewing skills due to the mock interviews that I have participated in. The CDC also has helped me critique my resume as well.
Describe your responsibilities within your internship.
I was an internal auditor. I completed audit testing supporting the Banks Audit Standard 2 testing for year-end financial statement assertion, as well as completed testing of controls in Accounting, Human Resources and Payroll, and the Cash operations.
Another responsibility that I had was completing substantive testing on one full-scope audit of the Bank's Cash operations, as well as reviewing documentation, interviewing staff, drawing conclusions, identifying deficiencies or weaknesses in processes or controls, and the documenting of work performed using an electronic work paper system.
I developed graphs, which have become a standard part of the Bank's Audit Review Committee package, as well as assisted in piloting a new risk assessment methodology, and assisted in maintaining the Fed's permanent library in Lotus Notes.
List three to five highlights from your internship.
1) The professionalism that I have developed and plan on using continually in my career path.
2) The "real-world" experience that I was handed with my workload and environment.
3) My relationships that I had developed.
4) The reinforcement that I have chosen the right career path for myself.
What is one aspect of your internship that you would have wanted to change?
Not one single thing! I am a strong believer that what you put into something is what will be returned to you! My entire internship experience was extremely valuable.
Did your internship confirm your anticipated career choice or path?
Yes! My internship was a reinforcement that my education and major decisions were the right choices for me, and I can picture myself performing the responsibilities that I was given in my future career path!
Now that you have completed an internship, what advice would you give students about internships?
Internships are extremely valuable to your future. Internships enable you to experience the "real-world" environment, which you aren't exposed to in a college classroom. One should start researching internships their freshman year, because not only does it make you more marketable to a company or firm, but you will also realize if a certain career choice is for you or not!
