McGladrey's Pathways Program in New York

Written by Kim McLaughlin
Talent Acquisition Manager
New Jersey

I recently spent three days in the “Big Apple” mixing it up with some of our future talent during the New York office’s Pathways program.  Pathways is a 3-day opportunity for intern and associate candidates to experience McGladrey—what our office life is like and what it’s like to work with our clients and our people.

44 students from almost 20 different universities packed into our midtown office boardroom for a warm welcome and introduction to McGladrey with office managing partner, Don Lipari.  Participants asked all kinds of insightful questions and received lots of colorful answers from Don’s 29 year career at McGladrey.  The day also involved small group discussions over lunch with our current summer interns and other McGladrey professionals.  I had the pleasure of dining with 4 participants and loved the open chat we shared about work-life flexibility, mobility within McGladrey and working with clients.  The day wrapped up with a panel of employees who shared their personal stories and insights into the career paths at McGladrey.  Oh, and an ice cream social was the “cherry on top” of this fast-paced and informative first day.

Day 2 found us meeting up in front of our office at 46^th and 6^th bright and early to board a bus for Battery Park.   We were off to visit a client—the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Foundation.  After a brief ferry ride with a pit stop to wave to Lady Liberty, we arrived at the Immigration Museum at Ellis Island and had some time to explore this historic and moving site before meeting up with the Foundation’s controller and former McGladrey auditor, Elad Rosen.  Elad shared his experiences on working at McGladrey and his time working “on the client side.”  Participants learned how he partners with the engagement team members and Elad answered quite a handful of questions from the group.  Our visit concluded with a brief play about Emma Lazarus and her memorable poem which graces the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, “…Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

After our client visit, the day concluded with some education on preparing for the CPA exam and a scavenger hunt around the New York office to get more of a hands-on look at our environment.  Participants ended day 2 with some instructions about the interviews they would have on Day 3 as well as the community service activity at the Museum of Natural History that would complete their Pathways experience.

For me, my experience ended on Day 2 with an energizing walk back to Penn Station and a great sense of inspiration about the future talent we expect to come on board at McGladrey.  What a great way to Experience McGladrey!