Senior Taylor Montgomery knew interning at a big accounting firm wasn’t part of her career plan, so she searched for a small business with a community atmosphere. She found what she was looking for as an accounts payable intern at Resort Lifestyle Communities (RLC) in Lincoln, Nebraska, and interned there this summer.

“I was against doing an internship for the longest time, because I thought all accounting internships meant working at a big accounting firm. It simply didn’t align with my career goals. At the same time, I was missing out on the incredible opportunities an internship provides,” Montgomery said.

Resort Lifestyle Communities (RLC) is a local company that manages luxury senior apartment-style living across the country. This company has 11 locations with several more set to open in the coming year.

“When the RLC internship came along, I couldn’t pass it up because it aligned with my objectives to work for a smaller company,” she said. “The staff members are very close. They always pull together to offer support and genuinely care for each other.”

During her internship at RLC, she assisted five accountants with different types of accounting work including processing job cost construction and pre-marketing invoices for upcoming communities, completing community check runs and communicating with management teams at each of the community locations.

“I felt prepared for my accounts payable internship due to prior knowledge about invoicing and the expenditure cycle which I learned from my accounting classes at UNL. I believe this internship has enhanced my understanding of these accounting principles,” Montgomery said.

Along with being a student in CBA, Montgomery is a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band. She serves on the leadership team as a rank leader for the alto saxophone section.

“Being a member of the band is a big time commitment, since we practice every day, but the result of lasting friendships and thrilling performances is well worth the time. I enjoy getting to work with so many people,” she said.

A Lincoln native, Montgomery plans to graduate in May 2016. After graduation, she would like to work at a local company and continue to gain experience in accounting before starting her own business.

“My internship helped me understand accounting offers a variety of career paths. I found an internship that aligned with my career goals and sparked a true interest with my passion of accounting and working with people,” she said. Published: November 10, 2015