On Thursday, December 1, over 80 business students attended the Northeastern University Internal Audit Student Night, co-hosted by the Northeastern University Accounting Department and the Greater Boston Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. The Internal Audit Panel was comprised of internal auditors of all levels working at companies in the Boston-metro area. The panelists (and company) were Coretta Lau, (John Hancock), Luis Alvarez (John Hancock), Jeremy Lavallee (Liberty Mutual), Rachael Langevin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Jeff Gibbs (Biogen Idec), Donna Quirk (Bose), and Michael Lewis (Hologic). Michael Barry, Chief Audit Executive of Iron Mountain, moderated the panel.
The panel discussion started with Mr. Lewis asking the panel to define internal auditing, and the reasons students should seek careers in internal auditing. The audience learned about a typical day working in an internal audit department, as well as the skills and competencies necessary to succeed as an entry-level internal auditor. Of course, any conversation about internal auditing would not be complete without talking about travel. The students listened and learned from the panelists about their favorite travel stories, travel locations, and even learned some tricks of the trade for their own future travel.
Charlie Bame-Aldred, Professor of Accounting at Northeastern University, expands, “The Greater Boston Chapter of the IIA provided Northeastern University students from multiple academic disciplines an insight into a company’s self-governance. The session provided students with a different career path. Instead of focusing solely on public accounting, Northeastern and the IIA highlighted internal audit as a direct competitor for human resource talents for new graduates and seasoned professionals. The students heard about opportunities for international travel, to work with senior level executives, to continuously learn about a number of relevant areas in a company, and to become a senior level employee. The students asked a number of questions that were ably answered by the panel. These types of programs are necessary to maintain the flow of quality individuals in the internal audit profession.”
Following the panel discussion, students were invited to participate in a networking hour to speak with representatives from local area companies, including Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Fidelity, Bose, Biogen Idec, Protiviti, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, RSM McGladrey, and others.
Overall, the Northeastern University Student night was deemed a huge success by all in attendance. Amanda Smalley, Manager of Internal Audit Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Vice President of the Greater Boston Chapter of the IIA, explains, “The student participation at last week's Greater Boston IIA student night at NEU was extremely exciting. The GB IIA's Academics Committee did a great job in providing students an opportunity to hear from a diverse panel of IA professionals with varying levels of experience and responsibilities, and an opportunity for one-on-one networking with professionals working in the IA field in Boston. The relationship between Northeastern and the GB Chapter of the IIA continues to strengthen and offers great opportunities to educate future professionals about the exciting and diverse experience in internal auditing.”
We look forward to expanding our collaboration with Northeastern in the future!