April 11, 2018
Mingxuan (Danny) Du ‘20 from Shanghai, China is an Economics & International Relations major who spent his Externship Day at Deloitte Tax LLP in Chicago.
On Wheaton's Externship Day 2018, I had the opportunity to shadow Deloitte Tax LLP in Chicago.
Taking a morning train at 7:30 am, I arrived at the office at around 8:30 am and officially started this exciting journey. My host, Maria Geiger, a Wheaton alumna, who served as the manager of the Global Employer Services, gave me a warm greeting by touring me around the floors and introducing the different functionalities of the offices to me.
We eventually settled down at a “smart” meeting room to kick off the workday.
During my conversations with Maria, I gained a more comprehensive understanding of her role at Deloitte, the evolution of the firm culture, and the types of professionals they are looking for. In response, I shared a bit about my background, my path to Wheaton College, and my career interests in the fields of finance and consulting.
Knowing my international background, she introduced me to the firm’s three new hires, who shared similar backgrounds with me. They patiently answered my questions on professional development and even connected me with their colleagues at other departments that I'm interested in. It was amazing to see how willing the people are to provide guidance to those who seek out for help. They have gone through a similar process.
At noon, Maria invited me to have lunch together downtown. This was the time when we dove deep into the conversation about the integration of work and faith. It isn't easy for Christians to speak boldly at the workplace. However, those who aspired to bring the light of the gospel to their firm culture formed the Christian professional community and met regularly as a group for spiritual rejuvenation. “The best way for the Christian professionals to bring the influence is to lead by example.” That's what Maria said at the end of the conversation.
My experience at Deloitte gave me a clearer direction for career development and brought a unique perspective on faith and marketplace. I am grateful that Wheaton College has made this incredible journey possible.
Externship Day is a one-day job shadowing experience for undergraduate students, hosted by alumni at their organization or company across Chicagoland. Students experience a day in the life of professionals in different industries and develop connections with alumni. Find out more information about Externship Day.