Archived News | Return to News Center

December 15, 2006

ULM students to work at huge firm in Canada

ULM students will soon pack their bags with warm clothing for their spring semester adventure in Canada at Ernst & Young, the second largest CPA firm in the world.

The ULM Accounting Program partnered with Ernst & Young 12 years ago to provide ULM students with a competitive internship program. Students, who will receive the same training that full-time Ernst & Young employees receive, will learn to prepare tax returns.

The accounting students will grow both personally and professionally during their internships, said Michelle McEacharn, associate dean for academics in the College of Business Administration.

“It is a remarkable opportunity for both the ULM Accounting Program and the students who participate in the internship. Students will have the experience of living in a large metropolitan city, and that cultural experience is invaluable to our students,” she said. “This is a unique program that Ernst & Young has established with ULM and it is a major indicator of the respect and confidence they have in the quality of our accounting program.

The students, some of whom have never flown before, will embark on their journeys in mid-February. Two students will work at an Ernst & Young office in Calgary and three will work in Toronto. The interns will learn how to prepare expatriate tax returns, which are tax returns that must be filed by U.S. citizens who are residing and working outside the U.S. The students may also be involved in the preparation of some Canadian tax returns.

On Dec. 14 at ULM, John Lowden, a tax partner with the Toronto office of Ernst & Young, visited ULM and interviewed each of the recommended candidates before the final selection decisions were made. He talked to the students about what they would experience while in Canada, and he answered several of their questions. Lowden pointed out that previous ULM interns have been offered permanent positions with Ernst & Young.

This year’s interns include Trenderlyn Chatman, a junior from Baker who will travel to Calgary; Jesse Clower, a senior from Monroe who will go to Toronto; Makia Mitchell, a junior from Columbia who will travel to Toronto; Veronica Toure’ Mosley, a junior from Shreveport who will go to Toronto; and Harper Wilkins, a junior from Columbia who will go to Toronto. Brent Barrow, a senior from LSU-S will travel to Calgary.

Internship applicants must have been admitted into ULM’s Professional Accounting Program and have completed a few required courses. The applicants must possess strong work ethics and mature, responsible personalities.

Ernst & Young pay for all travel costs and accommodations. They also pay each intern a weekly stipend. For more information about the internships program, which has sent 49 students to Canada thus far, contact Michelle McEacharn at 318-342-1100 or e-mail her at mceacharn@ulm.edu.

PLEASE NOTE: Some links and e-mail addresses in these archived news stories may no longer work, and some content may include events which are no longer relevent, or reference individuals and/or organizations no longer associated with ULM.