Summer In SoCal (Edison)

The summer passed by in a blink of an eye, and I’m only now getting a chance to reflect. My name is Prerana Gutla, I’m a third year in the Mihaylo College of Business & Economics, it’s my fifth semester as a Collegiate member of Delta Sigma Pi and second semester on the Executive Committee. I entered Summer 2017 with only one focal point - absorbing all the knowledge I possibly can while interning at Southern California Edison’s corporate headquarters in Rosemead.

As a Controller Intern on the Financial Reporting Team, I worked alongside great leadership to file the company’s quarterly report for the Security and Exchange Commission. (Click Here) I worked on various footnotes, created tie-out packages, and most importantly -- learned a lot about the finances/accounting for the utility industry.

I worked on various other filings - such as pieces of the disability plans, health and welfare benefit plans, and low-risk footnotes for a trust. I also used accounting principles to perform an audit on bookkeeping of a trust’s transactions. Projects and filings aside, the summer was filled with intern events, speaker panels, networking opportunities and lots of lunch and dinner plans. All in all, a well rounded learning curve!

Beginning my junior year this Fall, I walk into campus with three new focal points - pursuing new opportunities, serving on the Executive Committee, and fulfilling the Business Honors coursework. I walk in with the bigger picture in mind - a better understanding of the kind of trajectory I want to set off on for my post-graduation career plans to work my way up within a company - manage a team after five year, eventually manage multiple teams, and later oversee the department.

Ultimately, I want to empower and be empowered by the people around me. In the words of Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn Co-Founder, “A leader’s job is not to put greatness into people, but rather to recognize that it already exists, and to create the environment where that greatness can emerge and grow.”