Adam Milano
Adam Milano
Class Year
’16
Current home
Elgin, Illinois
Major(s)
Accounting and Finance
Current Position
Audit Senior Associate at Deloitte
Adam Milano serves as an audit senior associate at Deloitte’s Chicago office. Deloitte is a multinational audit, consulting, advisory, and tax services firm.
While at Carthage, Mr. Milano was honored as Homecoming king, Outstanding Senior in Accounting, Most Valuable Brother in Delta Upsilon, and Male Leader of the Year in Residence Life. He earned his CMA certification before graduation and became a certified public accountant almost immediately afterward.
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“Being able to see many different clients and how they operate. In just over one year of working full time, I have learned countless things about accounting, auditing, and the clients we serve. I have an important role in the teams I work with, and I have been able to learn from some of the best leaders at our firm. Deloitte has invested a lot of time and effort in my development, as well. Even at a young age, I have been able to mentor incoming employees in different areas of the audit. It is certainly a challenging yet rewarding job.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“Having multiple roles at Carthage was critical for my career development. It showed me how to manage my time effectively and balance my responsibilities appropriately. Being involved at Carthage introduced me to new people and new ideas which is critical to being successful in the workforce. I was able to develop technical skills through the classroom, but also my interpersonal skills outside the classroom. Leadership abilities, communication, and attitude have been important aspects I have taken away from my Carthage experience.
“There were many professors that have helped me along the way. Julie Dawson was my advisor my senior year and helped prepare me to work for Deloitte. She was influential in helping me choose the accounting career path. Dave Brunn prepared me for the CMA exam and mentored me for all the necessary preparation steps. The skills he taught me for that exam carried over to my studies for the CPA exam. The professors at Carthage formed the connections at Deloitte, which eventually led to my internship that turned into a full-time job. The professors at Carthage invested time in my personal and professional development. I am grateful for their commitment to students. I would not be where I am today without my professors at College.”
How has your liberal arts education benefitted you?
“‘Look again’ is one of our mottos at Deloitte. We want to think of different ways of helping to solve client problems and deliver quality work. We are always striving to think differently about the way we work and how to make things better. The liberal arts background encourages students to see things in a different light or to take in other points of view. There were countless occasions when I would help the team to re-engineer some of our work to make tasks more efficient. I have been asked on a few occasions to re-evaluate the setup of a few of our spreadsheets. Having the mentality of a liberal arts background is fundamental to ‘look again’.”
What's your favorite Carthage memory?
“There have been so many wonderful memories at Carthage, but I would say one of my favorites was going on the two J-Term trips. I was able to spend a month in Guatemala and about three weeks in Hong Kong. Each trip was a unique learning experience and I learned a lot about the cultures of each area. The Guatemala trip was my favorite memory because of the amazing students in our group, the beautiful places we saw, and the culture we experienced. Lago Atitlan was one of the most beautiful places I have seen in the entire world. I would recommend that students take advantage of the wonderful opportunity J-Term trips are during college. Carthage has helped me develop into a well-rounded individual and helped me to realize my potential, but the most invaluable thing I have gained from Carthage is the connections with friends and professionals.”
Tips for current Carthage students?
“Always be learning and take advantage of every opportunity available at Carthage. Get involved in as many activities as you can. Try things you may not think you might not be interested in as well. Go on J-Term trips and meet as many people as you can. Challenge yourself to do more and to develop yourself. My goal was to make the most of the four years in college. I hope others would apply the same mentality.”