Successful Internship Leads To Banking Job

Not long after Sophia Ciabattoni '26 walked off the stage with her diploma at commencement in May, she began working for one of the Big Four accounting firms. Ciabattoni landed the position of audit associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers following an internship with the global services firm in the winter of 2025-2026. Only a select number of interns are offered full-time positions, and the internships themselves are competitive, with about 1,400 interns accepted from tens of thousands of applicants.

When Ciabattoni applied for the internship, she said she did not expect anything to materialize. But within a week, a recruiter called, and before long she was in a series of interviews. The University's chapter of the international Beta Alpha Psi honor society "was incredibly helpful" in honing interview skills that she believes got her the job offer. "If you are well prepared for the interview, it will get you to the next step," she said.

While she ultimately didn't find the PricewaterhouseCoopers internship through networking, Ciabattoni says she went on "every single" networking trip offered through the University, meeting many seasoned professionals, including alumni. "It's very special to have alumni who want to get to know you and want you to succeed," she said.

At PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ciabattoni is working in Banking and Capital Markets, auditing financials for a large bank.

Ciabattoni, of Philadelphia, came to Scranton as a finance major but switched to accounting in her junior year. Ashley Stampone'10, G'11, PHD'22, assistant professor of accounting, was especially helpful to her in the transition to a new major.

Career development initiatives offered through the Kania School of Management were impactful, said Ciabattoni. Through the Business 150 Class she learned valuable networking and interviewing techniques.

Student-led groups like PRISM (Portfolio of Responsible Investments under Student Management) and Wall Street Bootcamp provided real-life experience.

Ciabattoni plans to follow in the footsteps of other alumni who share their time and talent with Scranton students.