How it Works

Each internship experience may look a little different depending on the role and team, but every internship is designed to help students learn by doing. Interns gain hands-on experience through real work, connect with professionals across AKS, and get a better understanding of how different disciplines contribute to project outcomes.

For students who return, each summer can build on the last with new experiences, added responsibility, and a deeper understanding of areas that interest them. Participation is a one-summer commitment at a time. Students who are interested in returning are encouraged to express interest, and continued participation depends on performance, program fit, and available positions.

Who You Are

To be considered for this internship program, students should:

• Be currently enrolled in an accredited 2- or 4-year program with a declared major in Accounting, Finance, or similar.
• Have completed at least one year of college before the internship start date
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Be available to work full-time for 12 weeks during the summer
• Be able to work from the Tualatin, OR office, where this program is offered

What You’ll Learn

• Apply accounting fundamentals in a real-world setting: Use what you’ve learned in class to support day-to-day accounting work within a professional services firm.
• Build technical understanding of accounting operations: Develop an understanding of standard accounting processes and how they support effective professional services business operations from project inception to cash collection.
• Strengthen practical skills: Gain experience with tools and tasks such as ERP systems and Excel, transaction processing, reporting support, and reconciliations.
• Put theory into practice: Contribute to a real value-add project and present your findings at a team-wide meeting.

Day in the Life (Examples)

Work under the direction of a Financial Controller and alongside the Finance & Accounting team to gain hands-on experience in a client-focused consulting environment. Interns can expect to work approximately 40 hours per week while contributing to project work and day-to-day team priorities. Responsibilities may include:

• Working in Excel and other data analysis tools such as Power BI and AI to analyze data, support reporting, and perform calculations based on skill level and business needs.
• Assisting with day-to-day accounting tasks such as check requests, expense reports, timesheet review, mileage reporting, data entry, and other administrative support activities.
• Receiving and processing vendor and client invoices, helping prepare payments and code deposits, and reviewing vendor statements for accuracy and reconciliation.
• Participating in month-end close processes, such as preparing bank reconciliations and journal entries.
• Supporting process improvement efforts, internal reviews, and other team initiatives that strengthen accounting operations.