Plante Moran’s Track internship is a mecca for diversity, as it introduces multicultural students to the professional world of public accounting. If we’re being honest, what initially drew me to the program was being able to put a company like Plante Moran on my resume. (I suspect this is true of most college freshmen.) But then, I began to notice that Plante Moran wasn’t a traditional company, nor was the internship opportunity they offered. It was a journey of learning, discovering, and connecting with people who cared, and I realized I was right where I belonged.
Discover
During the program, I had the opportunity to build strong professional relationships, strengthen my networking skills, and gain the type of exposure that not many freshmen can attest to. Every day was unique, allowing me to see and learn something new. I was able to experience different service areas, sometimes multiple ones in the matter of a day.
The internship helps build confidence in a controlled environment and exposes diverse students to different services that they otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to. It taught me that it's okay to not know what you want to do, especially at such a young age, and working with a firm that allows you try different things, truly makes all the difference.
Learn
Throughout my time as a Track intern, I was able to learn a lot about myself as a person and as a professional. Professionally, I learned that I had a love for marketing, which surprised even me! The internship allowed me to meet and network with Plante Moran’s marketing team, which sparked my love for the field. One of my favorite things about being a Track intern is you aren’t put in a box; you can bounce around, which is great for professional development. Now, fast-forward a year, I’m a marketing intern in the Southfield East office.
Lead
The Track program was, and still is, an internship that is full of emerging leaders. I worked closely with very diverse peers who were all leaders in their own way. Each day I learned something new from the other interns because we all had something unique to bring to the table. The outside world isn’t cookie cutter, and it’s important that the workplace reflects that. A year after my Track internship, I joined the marketing team as an intern in the Southfield office.
My advice
What was my biggest takeaway from the Track program? Be confident in who you are, and always put your best foot forward. Take every opportunity you’re given because you never know what you may learn and who you may meet. I was given the opportunity to do what I love in marketing and have been grateful to the Track internship ever since. I met partners and staff members who still check on me to date and have made lifelong friends. The Track internship affords students the opportunity to be great, and for that, I will always be grateful.
