HBE’s intern program has been designed to provide college students considering a career in public accounting with real world experiences in audit, tax, and business advisory related services. Unlike traditional intern programs, our intent at HBE is to provide our interns immediate exposure to client-related work. Therefore, our interns come on board with many of the same responsibilities as our full-time, first-year staff. As a result, our interns have the comprehensive knowledge and understanding needed in order to make a well-informed decision about which career path is best for them.
This year, HBE welcomed our largest group of students yet to our comprehensive, paid internship program. These individuals have been working alongside our professional staff to gain real-world experience.
Ally Becker
Ally Becker, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in February of 2018. Ally is currently a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Working out, traveling, watching Netflix/Hulu series, shopping.
Fun Fact: I have swum in the Olympic Trial’s pool.
Why did you choose wealth management? I have always liked working with numbers and I enjoy working with people, so wealth management/financial advising is the best of both worlds.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Greece – from all the pictures I have seen, it looks so pretty!
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Photographic memory.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? I like to spend time with my family and friends, play with my dog, workout, get outside, catch up on sleep, & go to the pool in the summer.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? All the people I get to work with every day make coming to work something I look forward to!
Van Christiansen
Van Christiansen, from Omaha, began interning for HBE in January of 2021. Van is currently a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Hobbies: Reading or watching Netflix.
Fun Fact: I was a hockey goalie for 12 years.
Why did you choose accounting? I chose accounting because you constantly get to learn and work on a variety of different clients.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? If I could travel anywhere, I’d travel to Australia or Hawaii because there’s a lot of things to see and do there.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? If I had one superpower, it’d be the ability to fly.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? On a day off from work and school, I would go on a walk or bike ride, eat good food, and spend time with family.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? My favorite part of HBE so far is how much I’ve gotten to learn.
Alyssa Cyboron
Alyssa Cyboron, from Broken Bow, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Alyssa is currently a Junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: I love to bake and hang out with my family (mostly my nephew).
Fun Fact: If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be chicken tenders.
Why did you choose accounting? My mom is an accountant so I wanted to do something different than what she does, but when I took my first class, I realized I actually enjoyed accounting and could see myself making a career of it.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would probably travel to Japan because it has such a distinctive culture and unique traditions that I would love to experience first-hand.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? I would love to be able to control time so when I’m running late I can stop everything until I get there.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? On my off days, I love to steal my nephew and spoil him for the day, but if I can’t do that, I prefer to just relax and enjoy my day off.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I like that everyone is so helpful whenever I have a question or an issue. It’s never hard to find someone who will know the answer and who will take the time to help.
Olessia Derun
Olessia Derun, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in December of 2021. Olessia is currently a Junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Playing tennis and walking my aussie, Clifford.
Fun Fact: I have 10 siblings.
Why did you choose accounting? I wanted to major in something that involves numbers without being a math major.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would travel to Switzerland and hike the mountains.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? I would want to fly.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? Enjoying the sunshine and spending time with family.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I love how friendly everyone is and willing to help.
Jud Hixson
Jud Hixon, from Randolph, began interning for HBE in September of 2021. Jud is currently a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Hobbies: Video games, sports.
Fun Fact: I worked as a garbage man for a summer.
Why did you choose accounting? Both my parents are in accounting (Dad is a coach/accounting teacher at my high school, and my mom is a CPA and works as a CFO at a hospital in Wayne, Nebraska). They are both successful and really enjoy their work, so I gave it a shot.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? If the Cubs are in town, Chicago. I really like baseball and the Cubs are my favorite team.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? I would like to read people’s minds.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? Watching sports, playing video games
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? Everyone has been helpful when I’ve had questions about anything. Plus, I really like the size of HBE as a firm.
Matthew Hoffman
Matthew Hoffman, from Blair, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Matthew is currently a Sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Rock Crawling/Mudding, cooking, and fishing.
Fun Fact: I know a lot of random historical facts.
Why did you choose accounting? I’ve always enjoyed working with money and financial documents. As a result, I was drawn to accounting over other jobs.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Germany, because of all the history and beautiful sights within the country.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Super speed, (I love The Flash).
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? I enjoy relaxing and staying home for the day.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? All of the people, everyone is nice and it’s fun to learn more about everyone.
Bryce Holcomb
Bryce Holcomb, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2021. Bryce is currently a 5th Year Senior at Wayne State College.
Hobbies: Hiking/Backpacking, Buy/Sell Sports Cards, Hanging out with friends.
Fun Fact: I run track at Wayne State College.
Why did you choose accounting? I enjoyed my high school classes. I always have been super weird about tracking expenses income etc. in my personal life so it just made sense!
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would travel to Alaska. It is the last frontier in a sense and I think it would be a great place to hike around.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Superspeed.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? Relaxing, watching Netflix or football if there is any on.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? The people. Everyone is very helpful and welcoming and it has helped me grow a lot in this career field.
Zach Hosek
Zach Hosek, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Zach will graduate with the class of 2023 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Playing games with friends, playing sports.
Fun Fact: I’m in the Cornhusker Marching Band.
Why did you choose accounting? My dad and uncle both have jobs in accounting, so I was exposed to it pretty early on. I also took accounting classes in high school and it just became something I enjoyed learning about. I can take away so many things that will help me not just in my career but in my own personal life.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Washington D.C., American History is fascinating to me and D.C. is probably the best place to go for that. I’ve been there once before, but there is so much to do and I definitely didn’t get to everything.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Definitely teleportation. I could save myself the hassle of having to drive everywhere and I wouldn’t have to wake up quite as early.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? If it is nice outside I usually enjoy playing sports, most often basketball. If the weather is bad, I usually hang out with my roommates and play different games.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I love how independent I feel compared to other places I’ve worked. I essentially get to make my own schedule and build it around my school schedule however I want, which isn’t something that most other places offer.
Aaron Nichols
Aaron Nichols, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Aaron is currently a Senior at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Hobbies: I enjoy going to the gym and staying active. I love to go golfing with friends. I am a big movie person and I love watching all kinds of sports.
Fun Fact: I played baseball for Nebraska Wesleyan my first 3 years of college.
Why did you choose accounting? My first interest in accounting was in high school when I took the accounting classes that were offered and I really enjoyed it, so I decided to pursue it in college. I also like working with numbers and being detail oriented, so accounting was the perfect fit!
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would want to travel to Switzerland because I love skiing and I think it would be an awesome experience skiing in the Swiss Alps.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? The power of flying.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? If the weather is nice, I would go golfing on a day off or I would spend my day watching movies.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? My favorite part about HBE so far is getting to meet and collaborate with so many great people. Having the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the individuals around me is a great experience! I have loved the challenge of learning new things and applying them to the tasks at hand.
Thomas Parker
Thomas Parker, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Thomas is currently finishing his undergraduate degree at Creighton University.
How’d you get into data analytics? I got into data analytics when I started taking classes in my Business Intelligence & Analytics major.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off? I like to enjoy a day off by hanging out with my friends, whether that is going to play sports, watch a movie, go on hikes, I like creating new memories with my friends.
What is the last book you read? The last book I read was “Making Missionary Disciples” by Curtis Martin.
Favorite vacation spot? San Diego.
What is one thing you couldn’t live without? Working out/the gym.
Favorite place to eat in Lincoln? MoMo’s Pizzeria.
What’s another career you would like to try? Strategic Management Consulting.
Jett Petit
Jett Petit, from Holdrege, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Jett is currently a Senior.
Hobbies: Training for 10k/Half Marathons, Spikeball, Intramural Volleyball, Budgeting, Having intentional 1 on 1 conversations.
Fun Fact: I got married to my beautiful wife Bailey this past July. We spent a week in Clearwater Beach, FL on our honeymoon walking the downtown district and spending plenty of time on the beach.
Why did you choose accounting? I find purpose in working behind the scenes to make others’ dreams thrive. Especially in Non-Profit accounting, I am able to maximize my skillset to work for a bigger mission than the bottom line.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Italy, 100%. I am in awe of the historical and culture significance Italy plays in our background. Plus, Italian food!
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Super Speed! I could zoom over to Broadway and watch a play then be back for lunch!
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? Being busy! Setting up time to play board games with friends, go to the rec to play a sport, getting ahead on homework, and spending plenty of time serving my wife by cleaning up around the house.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I enjoy having 7 other Lincoln Interns here to go through the unknown together. Also, observing and learning the different traits of each person I work with makes me realize how experienced and wise each team member is.
Sarah Phares
Sarah Phares, from North Platte, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Sarah is currently a Sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Reading, Listening to music and podcasts, Crocheting, Watching movies (normally Marvel or Star Wars).
Fun Fact: My favorite baseball team is the Chicago Cubs, and yes I was a fan before they were good.
Why did you choose accounting? I have always enjoyed working with numbers and accounting just “clicks.” I think it’s fun.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Ireland, it is so beautiful and I my family is from there.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? Teleportation so I could travel more.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? Spending time with friends and being outside.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I love the work environment and how friendly people are!
Adam Pinn
Adam Pinn, from Sioux Falls, SD, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Adam is a Graduate MBA Student.
Hobbies: Bowling, Golf, Travelling to MLB Parks.
Fun Fact: I have bowled a 300 game.
Why did you choose accounting? I enjoyed all of my accounting and business courses and there are many professional careers I can pursue with this degree.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would go to Costa Rica because the food is much fresher than it is here. I also missed my chance to have a Piña Colada out of a Pineapple when I was down there for my uncle’s wedding.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? The ability to see the future… especially for use in the markets.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? I like to hang out with friends or look for deals around town such as going to garage sales or thrift stores.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? So far, I like how many different items and tasks I have been exposed to. After reflecting on my experience, I think it is beneficial to dive into tasks head first even if I don’t know what I’m doing. When I am put in these situations, I get to learn from experience which helps to develop my professional career.
Kari Williams
Kari Williams, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2022. Kari is currently a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Some hobbies I enjoy are baking, camping, or gardening.
Fun Fact: A fun fact is that my boyfriend and I didn’t plan to get our dog Harley. We were at a campsite in Wyoming when we met her. Her owner asked if we could take her due to not being able to give her the care she needed.
Why did you choose accounting? I chose accounting because I really enjoyed my first accounting courses in college and stuck with it.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? I would like to go to Australia because I’ve heard it’s absolutely beautiful.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? I would want to be able to teleport places. This would be great in everyday life but also to see new places!
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? I enjoy going for a walk, reading a good book, or spending time with friends and family.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? I’m really enjoying the culture of HBE. Everyone has been so kind and inviting. I like that HBE is always working on keeping their employees connected through work events or sending out emails updating everyone on what’s going on in other employees’ lives.
Kyle Zeleski
Kyle Zeleski, from Lincoln, began interning for HBE in January of 2020. Kyle is currently a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hobbies: Working out, Golf, Travel, Fishing, and Reading.
Fun Fact: I’m red/green colorblind! Sometimes I have to ask for help picking out outfits if I can’t see the colors very well. However, as I’m sure many people have noticed, especially Brian, sometimes my outfits still aren’t color-coordinated very well.
Why did you choose accounting? I declared as a Biochem major during my fall semester of Freshman year and did not find it interesting at all. So, I knew I had to change my major, but I wanted to get it right the second time to avoid extra schooling. I shadowed 5 or 6 different people my parents had connections with and they were all CPAs. So, I took it as a sign that, since I was interested in all of their jobs, and shadowed them out of my own personal interest, I clearly had an interest in accounting. I changed my major to accounting and the rest is history.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? Switzerland. I love the mountains and the Swiss Alps are some of the most iconic mountains in the world. I look forward to going skiing there someday.
If you had one superpower, what would it be? If I had one superpower, it would be teleportation. Even a daily commute can eat up a lot of time during your day, so I would enjoy having instantaneous travel.
What do you enjoy doing on a day off work/school? On a day off, I enjoy waking up early, hitting the gym, then hitting the links with some friends. After that, I normally take care of some chores and relax the rest of the evening.
What is your favorite part of HBE (so far)? My favorite part of HBE is by far the people. I wouldn’t have made it this far if it weren’t for everyone who helped and taught me along the way. As I transition to full-time here in a few months, I have all of them to thank for helping me reach this point in my career. Plus, everyone at HBE is, to steal a quote from my dad, “just good people.”