Posted 4 June, 2026
For students at the Wilson College of Business, business experience isn’t just found in textbooks — it's also at global firms, national agencies and regional offices. Through weeks-long, full-time internships, students gain experience in the profession before they walk across the commencement stage.
By facilitating a pipeline that connects students with diverse firms — from Big Four giants to regional companies — UNI helps graduates become proven professionals with jobs secured.
“The employers keep coming back to recruit here because they know UNI students are top-notch,” said Troy Schmitt, who is completing a tax internship with RSM in Cedar Rapids. “The students have been through the rigor of our program, and they have to step up to it.”
The transition from the classroom to the boardroom is paved by Wilson College’s Professional Readiness Program (PRP) and student organizations like the Accounting Club. These resources help students master everything from technical resumes to the "soft skills" of networking, often resulting in job offers years in advance.
For Schmitt, who grew up on a family farm in northeast Iowa, the versatility of an accounting foundation was a draw to UNI. Through UNI’s networking events, he secured a 14-week tax internship with RSM in Cedar Rapids, where he currently works 40 hours a week on the same projects as full-time associates.
Shaylee Cooling (’27) is gaining a global perspective at Deloitte in Des Moines. Originally from Victor, Iowa, Cooling chose UNI for its reputation in accounting and management information systems.
During her eight-week audit internship, Cooling performed hands-on testing and data analysis for clients across multiple industries. She credits UNI’s mock interviews and CPA review courses for removing the stress from the high-stakes environment of a global firm.
“The accounting classes really set you up to excel,” Cooling said. “I was able to understand the work and the terminology without having to ask lot of the time.”
The ROI of these experiences is immediate. Schmitt has full-time offers from current and past internships. And Cooling has already signed a full-time offer to join Deloitte after college. In fact, many accounting students have full-time offers in hand several months before graduating.
The combination of rigorous coursework, employer connections and early career experience allows UNI accounting students to enter the workforce with a clearer understanding of both the technical demands and day-to-day realities of the profession.
“You work really hard, but you reap the rewards,” Schmitt said. “It builds a pipeline that is very unique, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”