Internship Spotlight: Brigid Trotta ’21
Our Internship Spotlight series showcases the exceptional students in the PCSB. We want to let their accomplishments shine! This series allows them to recount the most memorable aspects of their impressive internship experiences. At companies from L’Oreal to RXR Realty, our students transition from the classroom by taking what they’ve learned and applying it in the real world. Meet Brigid Trotta, a sophomore who interned with Altman, Greenfield & Selvaggi, an accounting firm in New York City.
What is your major/minor?
I am an accounting major and a mathematics minor, and I am also a member of the Liberal Arts Honors Program at Providence College.
Does the company you interned with have a social media presence, specifically on Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, and Instagram? If so, what are the usernames and/or links to the pages?
No, the company I worked for does not have any social media presence. Altman, Greenfield & Selvaggi, CPAs, is very private; its clients are of high net worth. They are celebrities, managers, producers, and directors who need assistance managing their money because they live very busy lives. The company’s lack of social media presence shows clients that the company can be trusted and that the clients’ personal finances and information will be protected.
When/how did you secure your internship? Do you have any tips for students who are looking for an internship?
I talked to a parent at a graduation party the summer before I arrived at PC, and I thought nothing of it until early November, when he emailed asking if I wanted a job at his accounting firm. By Thanksgiving, I had secured the position. Students looking for an internship should take advantage of the resources around them and network to obtain internship opportunities.
Did you learn anything that you found to be particularly useful? Were there any projects that you worked on that you found to be interesting?
I learned about tax returns and the different software used for imaging and financial statements. I took part in bookkeeping responsibilities like credit card coding and renewing payroll for talent agencies and client-owned non-profit organizations. The fact that all the clients were celebrities I knew made all the work really interesting – especially the credit card coding!
What was the most challenging aspect of your experience?
At the beginning of the summer, I was always nervous about making mistakes, but I learned that I should not be scared to mess up and that it’s OK to ask questions. As an intern, you are still learning, so your coworkers are happy to help you out and answer any questions you have. Everyone in the office was so nice and welcoming, and that kindness and support really helped me do my best at work this summer.
Anything else you’d like to share about the experience?
It was a really amazing experience and I’m so grateful for everything I’ve learned and all of the great people I got to meet. It was a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it. I got to see what accounting in the real world is all about. Also, the office was right in Union Square Park in New York City, which was awesome because that area is so dynamic and full of very interesting people.
Now that you have successfully completed an internship, what is the one thing you wish you would have known when you were applying that nobody told you? In other words, if you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
Maintaining contact with your future employer throughout the year before the internship is important. It lets your employer know that you are organized, hardworking, and dedicated. My boss was impressed with the emails that I sent throughout the year around holidays and a few weeks before I started – I was the only intern who did that. It showed maturity and let my future employer know they made the right decision hiring me.
