A strong, longstanding relationship between Elizabethtown College’s School of Business and RKL, a business advisory firm with a main office in Lancaster has led to impactful career opportunities for more than 15 Blue Jay alumni.

With RKL’s close proximity to campus, Etown students can perform convenient part-time internships at RKL while enrolled in classes and many students go on to hold full-time positions at the company.

“RKL has consistently been impressed with the caliber of our students and that has paved the way for them to continue to want to recruit Blue Jays,” Elizabethtown College Director of Accounting Terrie Riportella said. “RKL has an established internship program that is well structured for students to get great work experience and a feel for what a full-time position will be like.”

Two of those Etown-RKL success stories are Accounting alumni Tyler Forney ’22 and Sarah Donner ’20. Forney held an internship with RKL before graduation and now works as a tax associate with the firm, while Donner joined RKL as a tax associate after graduation.

Through a Q&A below, learn about Forney and Donner’s experiences at both Etown and RKL.

Tell us about your current role at RKL

Tyler Forney ’22: I’m a tax associate at RKL. I work on tax returns for partnerships, S- and C corporations, trusts, nonprofits, and individuals. I’m heavily involved with our international tax team and work with our cost segregation team as well. I’m also involved with our interns during the busy season. Recently, I’ve been advising our tax AI steering committee as to how we could apply different AI technologies to our work to increase efficiency.

Sarah Donner ’20: I am currently a Tax Associate at RKL. I started working at RKL in the fall of 2020 after graduation. I prepare tax returns for clients of different entity types across various industries.

What was your experience at Elizabethtown College like? 

Forney: We were only on campus for a semester before the Pandemic sent us home and took everything online. Coming back to campus for my last year was incredible because we all had a new appreciation for being able to be in person and hang out again.

Donner: At Elizabethtown College, in addition to my business and accounting courses, I was involved in many activities. I was a member of the Women’s Tennis team, Accounting and Finance Club, and Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society.

How has your Etown degree benefitted you and your success? 

Forney: The Accounting program at Etown really set me up for success on the CPA exam. The courses were well adapted to what we needed to know for the different exams. It’s next to impossible to prepare for the “real world” since everything is messier than in the classroom, but the emphasis on internships helped me get that real-world experience and start my learning on the job early.

Donner: My Etown education has greatly benefited me in my professional life. I was a part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program which gave me real-world experience working with community members and preparing individual returns. In addition to coursework, we learned about soft skills and the importance of networking. I benefited from the career fairs and mock interviews that were offered.

How has Etown’s Educate for Service motto impacted your career? 

Forney: Etown’s motto is closely tied to RKL’s core values of being bold, caring, and collaborative. RKL really encourages service and getting involved in the community, so moving from one service-based environment to another was a natural transition.

Donner: Etown’s Educate for Service motto has impacted my career. RKL offers many opportunities to give back to the community through volunteer work, collection drives, etc. I particularly enjoyed volunteering for Junior Achievement (JA) BizTown which helps young people learn financial literacy.

What do you see as your biggest accomplishment so far in your career? 

Forney: My biggest achievement so far was passing all four of my CPA exams between graduation and starting my job. It was a grueling process, but RKL’s support made it much more manageable. They paid for study materials and my team was encouraging throughout the whole process.

Donner: My biggest accomplishment so far in my career was passing the CPA Exam in 2023 and receiving my license.

What is one piece of advice you have for current Blue Jays? 

Forney: Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can! The experiences you gain now will help you determine where you want to go and what you want to do and give you a head start once you get out into the working world.

Donner: I would advise current Blue Jays to seek out internship opportunities. Getting experience early on helps you discover your career interests and can get your foot in the door early.