Our Summer Intern Spotlight for 2022
What makes an internship truly valuable? We’re constantly asking that question, and always revising the answer. The truth is, internships are what you make of them. No, this isn’t some canned advice we give our interns when they first walk into the office. This is advice that goes both ways.
It’s our responsibility to ensure our interns have a great experience. On the other end, it’s our interns’ responsibility to capitalize on that great experience! If everyone does their part, then everyone learns something along the way, even the old guard among us. Last summer we sat our interns down and asked them some questions; some serious, some light-hearted. We thought we’d do that again.
Alex Colburn
Civil Engineering Intern
What have you been working on? “I have been working on several civil site projects, making engineering plan sheets in Autodesk Civil 3D. I’ve done a little bit of landscape architecture work as well, along with anything else that comes my way. I’m just trying to help wherever I can.”
What has been most surprising to you? “I underestimated how much engineers coordinate with clients and other architectural/engineering firms they are working with. There is always communication going on between parties to make sure the project turns out the way it is supposed to.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “Having previous CAD software experience has helped me adjust quickly. Interning last summer gave me a chance to hone my skills. Also, my analytical and math skills allow me to make good decisions in the design process.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “You name an NFL or NBA player, and there is a good chance I can tell you where they played in college or other useless facts about their career in general.”
What is your favorite quote? “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
John Essner
Transportation Intern
What have you been working on? “I’ve been primarily working on the design of several roadway projects, and should hopefully get the chance to do some material testing.”
What has been most surprising to you? “I was surprised to see how fast things move. When you are in the moment you want to focus on a task and do your best work but you have to balance your focus with efficiency.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “My knowledge of design software and my ability to pick up new things within those programs.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “I have a superhuman ability to catch food in my mouth.”
What is your favorite quote? “Don’t take life too seriously, you’ll never make it out alive.” – Elbert Hubbard
Kaylee Jones
Civil Engineering Intern
What have you been working on? “I am doing civil engineering work at BFW this summer! So far, I have drawn and edited plans, written reports, inspected pavement conditions and worked with a team on several different site layouts. I have seen a laydown yard, a sewer layout, a lakefront development, and more!”
What has been most surprising to you? “I was not expecting engineering to be so much about interpersonal communication! It was a nice surprise to find that teamwork and collaboration are just as important as technical skills in the engineering industry.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “I feel that I bring new ideas to the team since I have been so recently in college and exposed to the research industry. I believe that there are new methods that experienced engineers have not seen yet that I have already brought in, and in some cases, seen in action. I believe my ability to write technically has been a huge help in writing reports, as well.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “I’m a really strong swimmer! (I guess this could help if I was working on the riverfront 😉)”
What is your favorite quote? “I think the quote I live by is not a famous one, but one my dad always said when I was growing up.”
“No matter the situation, there is always good. Do everything you can to find it.”
Noah Matesevac
Survey Intern
What have you been working on? “I help in the Land Surveying department for BFW.”
What has been most surprising to you? “Something that surprised me is how nice and funny my co-workers are.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “I am a great listener and will work hard to do all of my tasks to the best of my ability.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “I have an unbelievable knack for quoting songs and movies from the 80s and 90s.”
What is your favorite quote? “Don’t ever get nervous about public speaking and never marry a bartender.” – Noah Matesevac
Noah McClure
Mechanical Engineering Intern
What have you been working on? “I work as a project engineer designing ductwork and calculating HVAC cooling loads. I also work as a CAD designer to create As-Builts and Base plans.”
What has been most surprising to you? “The freedom and responsibilities given to me from day one surprised me in a good way. I was calculating cooling loads the first week I started and designing As-Builts the first day I was hired on. This was an eye-opener as other jobs would start me out with menial tasks.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “I have experience with over 7 different CAD modeling programs, including AutoCAD which allowed me to jump right into As-Built maps.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “I can solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute.”
What is your favorite quote? “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Bailey Newman
Civil Engineering Intern
What have you been working on? “I am working at Westlake this summer where I am doing SWMU testing. This means I take visual inspections of trenches as well as do a leak test on them to ensure no bad chemicals are getting places they shouldn’t be.”
What has been most surprising to you? “One thing that has surprised me this summer is how invested everyone at the firm is in helping the interns. Anytime I’ve had a question I’ve never had an issue with someone taking the time to help me understand what I’m doing wrong.”
What is a technical skill that you bring? “The work I’m doing uses a lot of Microsoft programs as well as CAD. I would say CAD is a skill that I bring to the table in terms of this position. I took many courses in high school where I learned how to use CAD in different ways and even got to 3D print some of my drawings. This has been a very helpful tool for this job.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “For my current position this summer, I am up at 5:30 AM and am at the office by 6:30 AM. On weekends, you can find me sleeping until 3 PM. I like to consider that a skill because no matter what time I fall asleep I can sleep the entirety of the next day.”
What is your favorite quote? “As childish as it may seem, a quote I live by is a lyric from a Hannah Montana song,”
“You’ll always find your way back home”.
“This quote embodies everything I live by, because no matter the choices you make, or you places you go, you can always come home.”
Lucas Wilson
Civil Engineering Intern
What have you been working on? “I will be assisting with surveying work out in the field as well as drafting back in the office.”
What has been most surprising to you? “I was surprised with how much of the office work revolves around computer software rather than mathematical calculations. (At least with the work I have been doing.)
What is a technical skill you bring? “I have a good understanding of the fundamentals of AutoCAD. So, while I have been learning the more specific commands in the program, I have a solid foundation to fall back on.”
What’s your most valuable yet mostly useless skill? “I’m good at putting Legos together quickly because my grandma likes using them as decorations.”
What is your favorite quote? “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” It’s good advice and I try to make sure I treat everyone well and with respect so that hopefully they will treat me the same way.
We Love Our Interns
Can you solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute? Maybe you’re really good at sleeping all day, catching food in your mouth, have an Encyclopedic knowledge of college sports, putting together Lego, or can tread water should a riverfront project go south. Wait—sorry, we were looking at the wrong skills there for a second.
Either way, we love our interns, and the reason we have an internship program is to introduce young people to the engineering industry. As we work closely, everyone stands to learn something, which is the embodiment of engineering in the first place.
If you’re interested or know someone that might be, feel free to reach out to us about any new intern openings at BFW/Marcum.
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