Transfer Student Caralee Wagner ’22 on the Deloitte Internship that Kickstarted her Career

Update March 6, 2023: In the two years since we spoke with Caralee Wagner, her internship has turned into a full-time position! As of October 2022, Wagner is an Audit & Insurance Associate at Deloitte, the world's largest professional services network. 

As Wagner told us in 2021, her journey is a testament to being in the right place at the right time—and for her, that place was Saint Mary's, at a networking event hosted by the Accounting department. 

Caralee Wagner ’22, a transfer student and Accounting major, is the latest from SMC to score an amazing internship. We sat down with her to talk about her transfer experience and her upcoming internship this summer at Deloitte, one of the largest professional service firms in the world.

Tell us about the journey that led you to transferring to SMC!

I attended Diablo Valley College at first and decided that I wanted to major in Accounting. When I was preparing to transfer, I started looking at some universities in the Bay Area. I saw that SMC has a great reputation and that its accounting program provides a lot of opportunities for networking. Everyone I talked to throughout the application process was super welcoming, so I realized it was definitely where I wanted to be.

What internship did you get, and what will you be doing?

I was offered an audit internship at Deloitte. I will be working closely with one of their audit teams to get a feel for my future career and gain some firsthand experience.

How did SMC help you get the internship?

SMC hosts an event for Accounting students where I was able to network with a bunch of different potential employers. It allowed me to interview for open positions I was interested in and led to my internship offer.

What did you learn from the internship application process?

The best part of the internship application process is that it taught me how to be successful during interviews. I learned how to answer questions to make a good impression and what I could do to strengthen my résumé. Researching different employers during the application process also made me realize what qualities are important to me in a company that I work for.

What advice do you have for other transfer students at SMC or those looking for an internship?

My biggest advice that I can give is to make an effort to get involved and take advantage of new opportunities. I was nervous because I was stepping outside of my comfort zone, but I signed up for a few clubs and pushed myself to participate in some networking events. Because of that, I have met some great people and am now looking forward to an internship this summer!

Learn more about internship opportunities at Saint Mary’s College.