The summer interns recently completed their capstone project to round out their time at MEB. The Capstone Projects were new to our Summer Internship Program this year and stemmed from the intern’s desire to learn more about MEB and our complete portfolio of work. Each intern was tasked with preparing a tour of the job they have been working on for the group. They started with an overview presentation to explain the complexities of the job and then followed up with a walking tour where they gave project specifics and answered any questions!
Ben Bowling at the Nansemond Treatment Plant Tour.
We asked everyone what influence this project had on their future career aspirations. Ben Bowling, Richmond Intern, said, “I can see a direct influence it has had on my future career aspirations, and I can say confidently that I will continue to do something similar in the field of construction/ management.”
The purpose of this final project was to expose everyone to the different types of work MEB completes and see sites different from their own. It allowed our interns to feel confident in the type of construction they want to pursue but also sparked an interest in a different industry for some.
Emmanual Olguin Herrera presenting at NNSY.
“My favorite visit was the shipyard. I found it to be very interesting and different from any work I’ve previously been exposed to. Now that the Summer is ending, I am much more interested in the water/wastewater side of things than I thought I would be.” // Stephen Gottlieb
Jackson Zwirschitz during his tour of the James River Treatment Plant SWIFT Facility & Advanced Nutrient Reduction Improvements project.
“The exposure to the similarities and differences of unique sites and different types of work helped spark my interest in future career paths in construction. I feel that I have been able to find what types of construction I prefer, which I will use as I continue to pursue my career in construction.” // Jackson Zwirschitz
Each intern approached their tour differently and what information they included. Nathan Schmitt said, “Preparing for the tour taught me a lot of cool fun facts that are unique to the site I am working on. I learned a lot about problems that came up on the site before I arrived and how the team here was able to work through them.”
Group photo after Nathan Schmitt’s tour of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center Buildings 1, 2 & 11 Renovations.
The tours also gave everyone the opportunity to dive into their own site and see their project from a different perspective.
Jackson Zwirschitz presenting before his walking tour.
“Preparing a site tour was a great way to help me better understand my own site. I had to think outside the box and develop a tour that those with no wastewater experience could understand. I was able to reinforce my own understanding of the project by giving a general overview of the purpose of the plant upgrades and how MEB was performing them.” // Jackson Zwirschitz
Overall, this experience allowed the group to ask questions, learn more about what goes into different jobs, and gain a better understanding of their own project. Jen Hadac, Talent Engagement Manager, said, “I believe the capstones allowed the interns to not only showcase the knowledge they gained through the summer but also, by attending each other’s presentations, gave them greater insight into the diversity of projects that MEB is involved in.” We loved following along and watching each intern take pride in showing everyone around their job.
