Accounting student expands horizons with New York internship

As Kelly Duong rode the New York City subway during the first days of her summer internship, surrounded by exuberant Knicks fans and international crowds of FIFA World Cup attendees, it started to sink in how far she'd come from her hometown of Harvey, Louisiana.

"New York is endless. I don't know how to explain it, but there are so many things that could possibly happen," she said. "It's just so cool being in a city that's so lively this summer."

Arriving in the city in mid-June, Duong quickly discovered just how many things could possibly happen simultaneously. Her first week of training at "Big Four" accounting firm EY lined up with the World Cup game between Norway and Senegal. As she explored New York City, she often crossed paths with throngs of soccer fans.

"It was great looking at all the fans from everywhere in the world coming here to visit and watch the games," she said, noting how many spontaneous watch parties she had stumbled across in the following weeks. "It's still a community, as big of a city as it is."

For Duong, the bustling cityscape was the perfect setting to broaden both her perspective and her skill set. Within the first two weeks of her internship, Duong learned about legal protocols surrounding accounting, how to use auditing software and the concept of controls, which are procedures designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial statements. Shortly after that, she was meeting with clients and networking with upper-level managers at the company.

"They're very big on learning the 'why' rather than just how to do certain things," Duong said.

Duong discovered her love for accounting during her studies at Tulane, where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in finance and a master's degree in accounting through the A. B. Freeman School of Business's 4+1 Program. Following her own inclinations and guided by her instructors, Duong chose to pursue audit studies rather than tax studies, with the long-term goal of becoming a controller, a role that oversees a company's finances and budgeting.

Thanks to the support of professors, counselors and connections she forged by reaching out to recruiters, Duong landed the summer role with EY. She credited her academic experience, along with previous internships at Whole Foods Market and Ochsner Health, as foundational to her success in obtaining the coveted role.

Once she has experience working at one of the world's largest accounting firms under her belt, Duong will look toward taking the certified public accountant exam, confident in the path she's laid out since she first arrived at Tulane.

"I definitely want to be somewhere in accounting; that makes the most sense to me," she said. "Everything just kind of clicks."