Life as an Intern: Julie Gilhuly

Julie poses with her Yamaha motorcycle.
Julie poses with her Yamaha motorcycle.


Julie Gilhuly is a School of Management student majoring in Accounting. This past summer she interned at one of the “Big Four” Accounting Firms, KPMG.

Why did you decide to pursue Accounting?

I wanted a career that had job security and I knew Accounting was a great field to get into. It’s also constantly changing and I knew I would have opportunities to grow skill-wise and financially. Starting a career in this economy can be a challenge – I knew Accounting would be a solid career path.

Why did you want to intern at KPMG?

I interviewed with KPMG and a few other Accounting firms, but I knew KPMG had a lot to offer as far as training and development. They have a variety of clients and they’re one of the Big Four accounting firms – who doesn’t want that internship experience?


What did you learn through your internship?

There was a lot of training for the software programs and then we just dove right in. I was an audit intern, so I got to see that side of the industry. What I learned was completely different from what you learn in the classroom. The classroom gives you a foundation of accounting concepts - work experience builds off of that. It was exciting to see the two combined.

What advice do you have for students interested in internships?

If you’re an Accounting student, definitely be involved in Accounting Week. I never would have gotten this internship, or even heard of it, if I hadn’t attended Accounting Week (Note: Accounting Week is Sept. 24 – Oct.5).

What was the best thing about your internship?

My favorite part was being involved in KPMG’s Family for Literacy

Julie and her team of interns traveled to New Orleans and repaired this elementary school as part of a Habitat for Humanity project.
Julie and her team of interns traveled to New Orleans and repaired this elementary school as part of a Habitat for Humanity project.


program. Interns at KPMG around the country compete in teams, thinking up unique ways to fundraise for this program. My intern team came up with the idea of selling our time – we had gold (4 hours) and silver (2 hours) packages. We went to the partners’ houses and helped with outdoor maintenance and home upgrades. We ended up setting the record for money raised by Anchorage interns, about $3,000.

We were one of the teams selected by corporate to participate in additional outreach opportunities, the first time an Anchorage team had been chosen. We travelled to New Orleans and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. We also went and read to kids as part of the literacy program. It was a great experience.

Julie accepted a full-time offer from KPMG and will be working there in two years, once she graduates with her BBA in Accounting and MBA.