Hi everyone! My name is Margaret Howell, but I usually just go by Maggie. I’m a rising Senior majoring in Accounting with a minor in Economics. My future plans are to get my masters in accounting and become a CPA. I didn’t always know that I wanted to be an accountant, but after taking some economics classes and financial accounting, I knew that it was the career for me. I’ve always been a numbers person, and I’m very detail oriented, so it just felt like the perfect match. This will be my first professional work experience, so I’m excited/nervous but eager to learn.

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and I hope to return after I finish my masters. It’s one of my favorite cities I’ve been to (I might be totally biased), but there really is no place like home. One of my favorite things to do is travel, which is a big reason why I chose to do the Internship Program. I’ve been to Italy, Croatia, Germany, England, Ireland, and the Czech Republic. My brother lives in Germany so I’ve had the privilege of traveling around Europe with him, and I’ve fallen in love with exploring new cities and experiencing different cultures. My favorite city I’ve been to was definitely Split, Croatia. It felt like I was in Game of Thrones, and it was magical. Another favorite city of mine was Venice, as it reminded me of Pittsburgh with all of their bridges. When I’m not traveling, I like to hangout with friends, go on long walks with my dog Bella, and read. I love trying new things, whether it’s new restaurants, hobbies, or just going to a new city. I’m excited to find the best places to eat in Berlin, and explore the cafes and hangout spots. I love to listen to music, I listen to literally everything from alternative to pop to rnb.

Some things I’m most excited about for the 9 weeks we’ll be in Berlin is finding good places to run, exploring the city, and going out to eat. A big hobby of mine over the past year has been running, and I know there are some good places to run in Berlin considering all of the parks it has to offer, and we’ll be living pretty close to one. I feel very grateful to be able to have this opportunity to live in another country for 2 months, and really get the opportunity to adjust to the culture. I also hope to visit other German cities, although I know the internship will be keeping me plenty busy. I also hope to improve on my German, as I only know a couple words like “hello” and “Water Please”. I want to visit museums, and learn more about Berlin’s history and all that it has to offer.

As to why I chose this program, I felt that it would be very beneficial to have not only done an internship, but have done an internship abroad in a completely different country with a completely different culture. Not only will I gain skills that I need for my career, but I will also gain important life experience that will help me to stand out among my peers. I’m eager to learn how to adapt to different cultures in the workplace, along with learning more about my major and what an accountant does on a day to day basis. I chose Berlin because I’ve been to Germany, and I’ve had nothing but great experiences. Berlin has so much culture and history, and it stood out to be among the other cities. I love big cities and being able to go somewhere new and see something you’ve never seen before every day, and I knew that I could get that in Berlin. It’s also a hub for business, and I knew that I would get valuable experiencing interning for a company in Berlin. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, when else are we going to be able to leave the country for 9 weeks and work in an international office. I’m excited to find out more about my strengths and weaknesses, and hopefully work on important skills that are going to be useful post grad.

Overall, I feel that this experience is going to teach me a lot about myself, the world, and my career. I’m eager to learn new things, try new things, and make meaningful connections.