Setting the Foundation for Her Accounting Career

During her time at Luther, Erin was presented with several opportunities to interview with public accounting firms, as well as private companies throughout the Midwest. “I decided to pursue an internship with Rockwell Collins immediately after I completed my junior year,” she says. “From there, I interviewed for a position in the Accounting and Finance Rotation Program at Rockwell Collins and knew that I had a job upon graduation before I returned for my final year at Luther.”

During the first three years of her career, Erin rotated among three roles as part of the program at Rockwell Collins. She was also able to work in England for six months. “The goal of the program was to better understand what I wanted to do within accounting and finance,” she says. “I’ve been in my current role as a Senior Financial Analyst within our government systems sector for the past year.”

Erin says her accounting major and internship prepared her well for her career. “The business department at Luther set me up to succeed in any environment,” she says. “The program consisted of several accounting, finance, economics, and marketing courses, all of which have made me a well-rounded business person.”

Study-Away Experiences

Erin spent one J-term in the United Kingdom and another in Hawaii. “It was amazing to take a month-long course to learn about the cultures at both locations,” she says. “I also studied abroad for my Spanish major in Cuenca, Ecuador. I lived with a Spanish-speaking family, immersed myself within the culture, volunteered at a school, and explored the Amazon Rainforest.”

Advice for Current Students

Erin recommends that students take some courses outside their major that might be out of their comfort zone. “As an accounting major, I took anatomy, swimming, and Adaptive Physical Education,” she says. “All of these classes were fun—I learned a lot, they lightened up my days, and broadened my horizons.”

She says it’s important for students to consider all of the opportunities that Luther offers. “Use your advisor to help gain a solid foundation for your career path goals, get involved in several different organizations and clubs, and meet as many people as you can,” she says. “You never know when you’ll run into them again and how they might benefit your future either as a friend or as a colleague.”