Brunswick student’s internship really counts at Baker Newman Noyes

Baker Newman Noyes held its fifth annual Culture & Career Summit in Portland this spring for 17 undergraduate students from eight colleges and universities, including Heather Goan of Brunswick, who will be returning to BNN as an intern in 2020.

“Before coming into this program I was a little skeptical if I even wanted to be an accountant, and now I don’t want to go anywhere besides BNN after I graduate,” Goan said. “This was the first event I have attended that truly got me excited about life after college and what I want to do once I graduate.”

The students participated in three days of professional, social and cultural exposure to living and working for a regional New England public accounting and consulting firm.

The BNN Culture & Career Summit is considered a “pre-internship,” as it provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to demo a career in public accounting as well as business, IT and health care advisory consulting. BNN created the program in 2015 to highlight the advantages of working for a regional accounting firm over larger national firms.

During the program, students engage with tax, audit and consulting professionals at different experience levels to ask questions and develop an understanding of firm structure and scope of services. Students also enjoy Portland’s cultural and culinary offerings through social outings with BNN staff and are introduced to the firm’s deep culture of community service by spending a day volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen in Portland.

“Before attending the summit I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an accountant …,” Goan said. “This was such a great event to get a glimpse into public accounting, and I honestly wish it was a couple of days longer because it was so informational.”