“I am so grateful for everything FMA has provided me. I have been surrounded by the brightest students in finance, encouraged to better myself every semester, and pushed to apply for everything that comes my way... It is because of FMA that I feel I am ready to start my career in the coming year.”

The Harbert College is dedicated to providing a superior student experience that produces highly sought-after graduates and cultivates lifelong engagement.

Emily Mills, a Harbert College of Business senior majoring in finance, was named the Alabama Association of Colleges and Employers Intern Student of the Year for 2020. This award recognizes an outstanding intern from a four-year or two-year institution.

Mills, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, earned this honor after completing the Girls Who Invest Summer Intensive program in 2019. GWI selects the brightest female finance students across the nation and puts them through a rigorous, four-week training program focused on core asset management concepts and skills taught by professors from the Wharton School of Business. She then completed the GWI program with a six week internship at Vista Equity Partners gaining hands on experience in the financial industry. This summer she had the opportunity to continue learning about the industry while interning for ExxonMobil in Houston. There, she worked as a CFS summer analyst focused on creating a tool for managing employee staffing and development.

“This award highlights the amount of work both my peers and Tracy Richard (Financial Management Association Director) have put into encouraging me to reach beyond what I believed I was capable of when I started school in 2017. I have been guided every step of the way,” said Mills, a four-year member of the FMA National Honor Society who expects to graduate this December. “I never could have won this award without FMA, Tracy, and classes at Harbert College that pushed me to think outside of the basics of finance.”

Richard said that Mills “approaches every task with purpose and heart.”

“Her acceptance to Girls Who Invest was one of the first for women of the SEC,” Richard continued. “But beyond this drive, Emily is just a good person who always lifts those around her. She has left her mark on FMA and the University by embracing the mentorship of our younger students. I look forward to watching Emily’s success at ExxonMobil and beyond.”

“I joined FMA without really understanding the impact it would have on my time here at Auburn,” Mills said. “I was just eager to find my place here in the business school. I am so grateful for everything FMA has provided me. I have been surrounded by the brightest students in finance, encouraged to better myself every semester, and pushed to apply for everything that comes my way. I have been able to network with alumni and have had the opportunity to take more challenging courses. It is because of FMA that I feel I am ready to start my career in the coming year.” 

Mandy Harrelson, Finance Department Champion at the Harbert College of Business, considers Mills to be “a true talent and a leader among her peers.”

“Emily has worked hard during her tenure at Auburn, as an integral member of the Financial Management Association, student and mentor,” Harrelson said. “Emily’s drive paid off with two widely sought internships – ExxonMobil and the Girls Who Invest internship. Not only is she a great student, but she is a humble and impactful person, who consistently welcomes challenge with a great attitude.”  

About the Financial Management Association Honor Society

FMA provides a support network for the top students interested in finance careers. These elite students represent the Harbert College of Business and Department of Finance in premier business engagements, leadership seminars, case competitions, corporate visits and continuing education programs designed to foster engagement and personal relationships within the university and beyond.

The mission of FMA is to provide a fully integrated program at Auburn University that combines education, career preparation, industry intellectual capital, alumni engagement and information resources to produce the best trained and prepared students for finance careers.

For more, visit: https://www.auburnfma.com/