Success story: Alex Kohn takes internship at Grant Thornton

Accounting Success Stories | Mar 25, 2013 | Nicole Gesualdo

Taking courses in all areas of business is one way to figure out what you want to do.

As Alex Kohn (GSB ’14) discovered, being a certain kind of intern is another.

During the summers after his freshman and sophomore years, Alex held an internship with Southern Wines and Spirits that featured enormous variety, offering him experience across the company. It confirmed which business niche suits him best: accounting.

Now, he’s moving on to a financial-services tax internship at Grant Thornton, a concrete step toward his chosen goal.

“I will be working with Grant Thornton tax to help financial-services companies such as banks, hedge funds and insurance companies to minimize their tax obligations,” Alex said. He doesn’t yet know exactly what work his Grant Thornton mentors will ask for, but no matter what it is, he will be there to help.

There’s actually a hidden link between Alex’s two internship providers.

“Grant Thornton is Southern Wines and Spirits’ external auditor,” Alex explained, pointing out that one internship really did lead to another. “I got to meet many people and try many divisions within Southern, and when I knew that accounting was the field I wanted to get into, I had a lot of people at Southern who recommended me.”

A few conversations with Grant Thornton recruiters later, Alex had his next post.

“I am very excited to get an internship which specializes in my field of study, accounting,” he said. “I am also very interested in the financial-services sector, and this internship will give me exposure to that as well.”

The Gabelli School of Business wishes Alex the best of luck in his new role and kudos for having developed a clearly strong (and fruitful!) reputation with his first employer.