An Internship Worth Missing My Friends For

It was the spring semester of my junior year in the Adkerson School of Accountancy at Mississippi State University. I knew I wanted to do an internship somewhere near Jackson, MS, but I also wanted something that would be comparable to the Big 4 experience that everyone hears so much about. So, I began researching and found HORNE. After attending their Full Potential Leadership Program for college students and going through the interview process, I knew this is where I wanted to be. I met a firm that wanted to invest in me reaching my full potential, loves feedback and is evolving with the future.

Once the spring semester of my senior year rolled around, I began my internship at HORNE. As all my friends were loading up to head back to Starkville to start their last semester, it really hit me that I would be back home working in my internship for the next three months without my friends.

On my first day I was super nervous. But that quickly faded as I was welcomed in and treated as an actual team member! HORNE truly values creating a sense of belonging for others and that made the transition so easy for me. As an intern, I was worried that I would be doing a lot of busywork (filing papers, making copies, coffee runs) however, this was not the case. My team trusted me with the same tasks that young associates would be performing. I always say that I learned more during my internship than in my years of school. It was such a great hands-on experience.

At first, I wondered, “What is my full potential, and why does HORNE care about that?” Once I began working there I realized why. My buddy who helped guide me through day-to-day things at the office, and my performance advisor was there to support and give me feedback on how I was performing at my job. For me, this was huge because I like to know the things I am doing well and things I need to work on being better at. I want to be more than just a team member — I want to be improving continually. I finished out my internship with a full-time offer to work for HORNE. I was so excited to accept the offer and join the HORNE family full-time.

Now, I am back at work and thankful to work for a firm like HORNE. A firm that is constantly adapting and capitalizing on the changes in technology in our profession. As a young professional who has grown up with technology, I believe this is our biggest advantage. While entering into the profession at a young age can be scary and intimidating, HORNE has gone above and beyond to make me feel prepared, comfortable and welcomed. If you’re scouting firms, I hope we can do the same for you!

About the Author

Gracie Knight is a young professional ready to capitalize on the changing technology trends in the profession. Her internship experience and beyond at HORNE makes her passionate about creating that same WOW experience for her clients and future team members.