Student Rachel Foley ’19 Accounts On Her Impressive Internship Experiences at Adelphi University

For student Rachel Foley ’19, she wasn’t going to wait until her junior or senior year to secure an internship in the accounting sector. At the end of her first year at Adelphi University’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Foley was able to join Nassau County’s Department of Human Services as an auditing intern where she worked alongside the fiscal director to analyze and confirm audit claims.

“The most exciting and advantageous part of this internship was the experience I gained outside of the office while auditing individual agencies. After learning how to audit an agency, I was trusted to perform 13 other audits on my own,” explained Foley about her first internship experience. “Because of this experience, I was able to develop as a professional in ways that I never expected. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to learn how to work within a team, how to work in an office setting, and how to conduct myself in a professional manner in all sorts of situations.”

Thanks to her experiences at the Department of Human Services, she was able to secure an internship at Merrill Lynch, where she experienced a different culture and sector of the business world. At Merrill Lynch, Foley was able to work with many teams within the company including the Office Management Team, the Financial Advisors and the Operations Team on various projects.

“One of the most noticeable differences between the two companies was the size, however I was able to quickly adjust,” noted Foley. “Looking back on it, I am glad that these internships were very different from each other because if they weren’t, I would have learned the same things twice. Instead, I was able to double my knowledge base and apply what I learned from both internships to projects that I’m currently working on.”

With both internships completed, Foley is grateful for Adelphi resources that provided her with the opportunities to further her career in an accounting firm upon graduation.

“Without the help from Adelphi, and the resources it has provided me with, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to intern with the Department of Human Services or Merrill Lynch,” said Foley. “Professor Passarella and The Center for Career and professional development have helped me create and revise countless resumes and cover letters to ensure I am sending a perfect representation of myself to each and every company.”

Foley also offered some words of advice for other Adelphi students seeking out an internship:

“The best advice that I could give to anyone searching for an internship is to be persistent throughout the whole process. Rather than going on one interview and waiting four to six weeks to hear back from that company, use that time to do research and go on other interviews. Your chances of acquiring an internship are much higher in that case, and you might be lucky enough to have a few offers when those four to six weeks elapse,” Foley advised. “Searching for an internship is a job itself, and to be successful you really have to put a lot of hard work and dedication into it.”

About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning.

Adelphi University is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university offering exceptional liberal arts and sciences programs and professional training with particular strength in its Core Four—Arts and Humanities, STEM and Social Sciences, Business and Education Professions, and Health and Wellness. Adelphi is dedicated to transforming students’ lives through small classes, hands-on learning and innovative ways to support student success.

Founded in Brooklyn in 1896, Adelphi is Long Island’s oldest private coeducational university. Today Adelphi serves over 7,900 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York—just 23 miles from New York City’s cultural and internship opportunities—and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, and online.

More than 100,000 Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, caring citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world beyond.

Adelphi University
1 South Ave.
Garden City, NY, 11530

This release was published on openPR.