Andy DiFranco, '17

Major: Accounting
Residence: Detroit, Mich.
Career: Staff Auditor, Ernst & Young

In a nutshell, what do you do?

In essence, my job is to be the “bad guy”. As part of a financial statement audit team, I spend the majority of my time at a client’s headquarters testing detailed aspects of their financial standing and their internal control system. Often times that means asking the client tough questions about their job and obtaining additional support for certain transactions. Once the team is reasonably assured that the client’s financial statements are presented in accordance with GAAP, we issue our overall audit opinion. This process can take a few months or the entire year, depending on the size of the client.

Why do you love what you do?

Every day is a new challenge. Whether it be in making crucial decisions or handling client interactions smoothly and effectively. I love what I do because it allows me to take all of those daily challenges, internalize them, and try to put all the pieces of the audit together to formulate the best opinion possible. I also love working in a team setting because we are all working towards a common goal with open communication, shared responsibility, and collective accountability.

How did Albion help you get there?

For me, Albion was the place where I truly learned how to communicate effectively with people, especially people I did not know well. You are constantly exposed to different, or some might say uncomfortable, situations where you have to learn on the fly and work with students in a group environment. Also, I learned how to deal with stress very well at Albion by being involved in many different campus activities. This helps you prioritize your time wisely and prepare for the most important aspects diligently. Coincidentally, these are all things that I do at work on a daily basis. Albion gave me the ability to foster these traits and transfer them into a professional atmosphere.

For me, Albion ...

... gave me so many opportunities to cultivate relationships with my professors, from any academic department around campus. I was able to have close mentorship connections with so many people, which helped enhance my professional development and discover a career I would love. The thing that I liked most about Albion College was the small school environment where you can learn so much about yourself and others.