Hayden Genzler, a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in Building Construction, spent his first internship on an active construction site, providing a deep dive into real-world operations and a firsthand look at the fast pace of fieldwork.

This past summer, Hayden joined the team at the HRSD Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Pump Station Conversion project. In just two months, he contributed to the execution of some of the project’s most critical components. “When the summer started, none of the precast walls were installed,” he explained. “By the end of the summer, almost the entire structure was complete. It’s amazing how fast it all went up.”

But progress didn’t come without its share of obstacles. Hayden quickly discovered that problem-solving is a core part of every project. Rather than being sidelined, he was encouraged to take part in developing solutions. “One of my favorite things I worked on this summer was dealing with the challenges in the field,” he said. “For example, there was a cast-in-place wall on the pump station that didn’t align with the slab below it. We worked with the engineer to come up with a fix. It was fascinating to understand the issue in the office and then see the solution come together in the field.”

This dynamic between office planning and field execution gave Hayden a broader appreciation for how different parts of a project must come together. One of the most unexpected takeaways for him was the company-wide commitment to safety and how much everyone contributes to it. He noticed that safety isn’t just driven by leadership, it’s reinforced by every role on site, with crews consistently looking out for one another each day.

Reflecting on his time with MEB, Hayden called the experience “a very educational and impactful opportunity that I would recommend to everyone.”