Business major shares internship experience at accounting firm

Reese Kirkland, a sophomore business administration major with concentrations in accounting and marketing at the University of South Carolina Aiken, has wanted to major in business since childhood.

“When I was a kid, we used to role-play what our future careers would be, and I would always act like I was in my dad’s job,” Kirkland says her dad works for the City of Aiken and received a business degree. She took this inspiration a step further at 17 when she started her own business.

Kirkland is completing a marketing, administration, and accounting internship at SME CPA, a full-service tax, accounting, and auditing CPA firm. She began the role in January and has gained hands-on experience preparing returns and other tax documentation.

This summer, Kirkland is committed to honing her social media marketing, internal marketing, and bookkeeping skills to better serve clients.

SME CPA, a sponsor of USCA’s Honors Society, Beta Alpha Psi, has helped members like Kirkland secure opportunities. She said effective networking helped her land an interview with the accounting firm.

Kirkland explained why an internship like this is beneficial. “I’ve always been a hands-on learner, so I have to sit down and actually do something. It was important to me to be confident in the field that I was choosing to go into and learn more about it.”

Kirkland’s internship journey has enhanced her confidence, gifting her with skills beyond her academic life.

For more information, contact USCA Marketing & Communication at news@usca.edu.