Accounting and Finance Intern, Courtney Drake, has gained valuable hands-on experience across a wide range of accounting and finance functions at Prairie State, while continuing to develop her knowledge and skills in accounting.
Throughout her internship, Courtney has taken on a variety of day-to-day responsibilities and larger projects. Her tasks include reviewing and posting AP vouchers each week, logging commodities every other week, attending finance meetings, completing account reconciliations, preparing journal entries, and participating in audits involving P-cards, vendor rates, budgets, SharePoint access, inventory, and Maximo user security. She has also contributed to a mobile equipment project, where she has been tracking a list of 39 vehicles and pieces of equipment at the plant by researching past records. So far, she has successfully located 36 of the 39 assets.
One of the biggest skills Courtney has developed during her internship is attention to detail. Through the many audits she has completed, she has learned the importance of carefully reviewing every number, word, and record to identify errors and ensure accuracy. She has also strengthened her organizational skills while managing multiple assignments across the department. Reflecting on her experience, Courtney shared that one of the biggest surprises has been learning just how significant auditing is within the accounting profession. “I didn’t realize how much auditing accountants do, but now I know how important it is. Every audit I’ve completed has uncovered a discrepancy or something that needed to be corrected.”
When Courtney began her internship, her goal was to gain firsthand exposure to the accounting profession and explore different career paths within the field. She feels she is accomplishing that goal through opportunities to work alongside professionals in various accounting roles; each of them has provided guidance and projects for her to complete. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn from several different people within the department. I am appreciative of how willing everyone here has been to teach me and answer my questions!”
Outside of her daily work, one of Courtney’s favorite experiences has been participating in the intern outing. “It was a lot of fun getting to know the other interns and hearing about everyone’s experiences.”
After the summer, Courtney will return to Illinois College to continue pursuing her bachelor’s degree in accounting. She now hopes to add a minor to her studies before earning her master’s degree and eventually sitting for the CPA exam.
We thank Courtney for her hard work and dedication this summer and wish her continued success in the future!