By Lauren Buelow, student writer, UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Anna Nolte
- Wausau, Wis.
- Bachelor of business administration in accounting
and bachelor of arts in French - What's next: Employment with Deloitte LLP in London
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UW-Eau Claire photo by Bill Hoepner |
When Anna Nolte tells people that she has been studying both French and accounting, the typical reaction is to ask, "So you're going to be a French accountant?"
Not exactly. Nolte has a passion for both numbers and languages, and she had always aspired to combine the two. It was her dream to work abroad someday, and now she is starting a career in London.
Nolte began her international career as an intern for the London office of Deloitte LLP in the summer of 2008.
"It was everything I had hoped for in an internship," said Nolte. "I learned a lot and I even was able to use my French skills to translate financial statements from French when needed. That made my decision to accept a permanent position easy."
Nolte credits her success to the preparation she received at UW-Eau Claire.
"I can honestly say that Eau Claire prepared me for that internship and gave me everything I needed to be offered the position," Nolte said.
Nolte utilized the many resources available on campus to find and secure her internship.
"I spoke with people in Career Services often to help me perfect my résumé but also to help me find opportunities abroad that could enhance both my accounting and French majors," she said. "I went to the career conference ready to talk with employers. I was talking with the representatives at the Deloitte table and they told me their London office was looking for interns in tax. I asked what I needed to do and the journey began."
More on Anna Nolte
Future plans: My immediate future plans are to pass all four sections of the certified public accounting exam as soon as possible. In late July of this year I will be moving to London for my job with Deloitte working in U.S. corporate tax. I will for sure be in London for two years, and then I plan to evaluate if I would like to return to the U.S. I could transfer within Deloitte to one of many U.S. offices. I may want to stay in London for three years and be able to see the 2012 Olympics. Deloitte London is an official professional service provider of the Olympic games, and I think that would an amazing thing to be a part of.
Long-term plans, I think I will be in London. I know that I can transfer back to the U.S. if I want, but I have always aspired to work abroad at some point and now I get to start there! I would love to get to a manager position and possibly even a director position. Time will tell if I will ever try to be a partner in the firm.
I think that as much as I love accounting, I also aspire to be a mom. I would love to get married and have children.
Finally, another long-term aspiration is to continue to use my French and develop fluency for the language. I plan to visit France often and I have a dream of one day buying a summer home in the French countryside.
Unique aspects of her UW-Eau Claire experience: The residence halls have been a great experience for me. I had always wanted to be a resident assistant, and I had applied after my first year, but I did not get a position. In the fall of my junior year I applied again. I remember when I got an e-mail from a friend while I was studying abroad telling me I had gotten the position! I was jumping for joy. I love my job and the staff of Sutherland Hall. The job has been a blessing and a highlight of my college experience. I am graduating this semester with the challenge to leave this amazing job and the amazing people I work with.
Another unique experience for me at UW-Eau Claire has been my double major. Now that I am almost done, I look back on my experiences in Hibbard Hall and Schneider Hall as solid educational opportunities to get as much out of my UW-Eau Claire experience as possible.
What she liked most about her UW-Eau Claire experience: As I mentioned earlier, I love the residence halls. I loved planning wing events to go to with my residents or just simply having a dinner to talk with the girls on my wing. I have made lasting friendships in the residence halls: my co-workers in Sutherland, my best friends from my year in Oakridge and numerous others. My scrapbooks from college will be filled with events that I attended in Sutherland and things I did with my wing.
Another great UW-Eau Claire experience has been my involvement with the Navigators, a campus ministry. I have been a Nav all four years that I have spent at Eau Claire. I spend my Thursday nights at NavNight, our large group meetings, and another night at a small-group Bible study. I have learned a lot about who I am and about my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Navigators is another thing that I would call a blessing in my life.
Highlights of life at UW-Eau Claire: As a sophomore I was a mentor for Dr. Eric Jamelske’s Economics 103 class. Working with Dr. Jamelske has established a lasting friendship.
I also have to highlight Dr. Roger Selin. My experience in his classes was more than struggling through difficult courses, it was finding a professor that believed in me and was constantly encouraging me.
Of course the residence halls, especially Sutherland, have been a highlight for me. I can’t image my UW-Eau Claire experience without my RA job.
Last but not least is my study-abroad experience. I studied in Pau, France, in the spring of 2007. It is one of my favorite experiences, not only of my UW-Eau Claire experience but of my life! While I studied there I lived with a host family, the Renards, and they became a second family to me. They took me into their home and made me another one of their daughters. I will always cherish that time and I plan on making Pau a regular vacation destination.
Proudest college accomplishments: One of my proudest accomplishments was while I studied abroad I took a French business class. At the end of the course there was a standardized exam from the Chamber of Commerce in Paris. If you passed the exam you would receive a certificate from the Chamber of Commerce in Paris for non-native speakers saying that you understand the basics of French business and can converse in the business world. I am happy to say that I passed the exam and I am a proud holder of the certificate.
Another accomplishment was being hired as a resident assistant. That may seem small, but to me it is a huge part of my UW-Eau Claire experience and I think it is an honor to be an RA.
I am proud to be graduating with honors, magna cum laude.
Finally, my internship with Deloitte LLP in London that ultimately ended up being my job after graduation is a major accomplishment for me as a UW-Eau Claire student.
Advice for incoming students: Get involved! Join an organization, get involved on your wing, in housing organizations, become an RA, do whatever you can to come away from UW-Eau Claire with a diverse experience.
Additionally, talk with your professors. I am astounded by students who have never had a conversation with any of their professors. Every professor at this university can teach us something. I don’t think I would be walking away from this university confident in my majors if I didn’t have the relationships I have with my professors.
Learn about other featured May 2009 graduates
