Caitlyn Dangvu on Internships, Student Government, and Landing a Full-Time Job a Year Before Graduation
Caitlyn Dangvu, '20
Division
Stiller School of Business
Double Major
Accounting and Finance
Hometown
Milpitas, CA
Pronouns
she/her
Internship
Audit Intern at KPMG in Colchester, VT
Favorite Class
Financial & Economic Modeling
Post-grad job
Auditor at KPMG in Colchester, VT
“
Champlain taught me how to act professionally, encouraged me to be a team player, and provided me with a foundation of knowledge to help propel my future career.
”
Can you tell us about your job with the Student Government Association?
I am the Director of Finance for the SGA. Over my two years in this position, I learned the importance of time management and effective systems. My job was to account for and manage a budget of nearly $400,000. With transactions occurring every day, I created an internal financial management system that helped streamline the process. I was able to innovate solutions in order to optimize efficiency.
What projects have you worked on in classes that you’ve found particularly rewarding?
I took a finance class where we built data models in Microsoft Excel. The knowledge I learned in this class allowed me to build data models and systems as I worked at other jobs. I was able to create Excel systems that streamlined processes and analyzed data that were then used by my employers.
How has Champlain prepared you for the professional world?
Champlain taught me how to act professionally, encouraged me to be a team player, and provided me with a foundation of knowledge to help propel my future career. At the end of my internship with KPMG, I was offered a full-time job post-graduation! I don't think I would have had the opportunity to work for a Big Four accounting firm if I hadn't landed the internship.
Mia Andreozzi on the Upside-Down Curriculum, Career Education, and Internships
Mia Andreozzi, '22
Division
Stiller School of Business
Major
Accounting
Hometown
Brentwood, NJ
Pronouns
she/her
Internship
Tax Intern at Davis & Hodgdon in Burlington, VT
“
I can have multiple internships while at college, which will put me at an advantage when applying for jobs.
”
How has Champlain's Upside-Down Curriculum helped shape your education?
The Upside-Down Curriculum gets you that hands-on experience pretty much the first day that you start here. I actually came in as an International Business major, not Accounting. But I knew after taking my first accounting classes with my professor Dave Mona that I really wanted to switch my major because it was a better fit for me. The transition was really easy.
You're a sophomore and you have an internship. Can you tell us a little about it?
I work for Davis & Hodgdon as a paid tax intern. I'm doing a lot of triage work and preparing client materials. I'm getting lots of hands-on experience with tax information—which is what I wanted from the internship. As a sophomore, I am the youngest intern out of all the interns for the company I work for.
Champlain encourages multiple internships throughout your four years of college. How has that benefited your future career?
Other colleges may not start you in internships until your junior or senior year, but since we have been learning industry skills through the Upside-Down Curriculum from our first year, Champlain interns are able to start in the professional world early on. I can have multiple internships while at college, which will put me at an advantage when applying for jobs.
Eli Blaker on Preparing for the Professional World, the Upside-Down Curriculum, and Meeting Great People.
Eli Blaker, '20
Division
Stiller School of Business
Major
Accounting
Hometown
Gaithersburg, MD
Pronouns
he/him
Internships
EBP Intern at Aronson LLC in Rockville, MD
“
They do a good job of matching students with internships. School can teach you the basics, but when you get on the job, that's when you really start learning.
”
Do you feel that Champlain has prepared you for the professional world?
Yeah, I feel that Champlain is preparing me for the professional world. They do a good job of matching students with internships. School can teach you the basics, but when you get on the job, that's when you really start learning.
What do you like about Champlain’s Upside-down curriculum?
The Upside-Down Curriculum gets students involved in their major in their first year in college. It really puts you ahead of the curve, especially when you're seeking internships. It allows you to get internships earlier than students from other colleges would be able to, because you get into your major in your first year. And if your major ends up not being what you're looking for, at least you know that in your first year rather than your third.
What will you miss most about Champlain?
The thing I'm going to miss most about Champlain are the people that I've met here. At Champlain, it's been very easy to meet great people. Through the friends that I've made, I've really blossomed from the person that I was in high school to the person I am now.