This summer, we welcomed some pretty incredible interns who brought fresh perspectives and energy to our office. Working alongside fellow interns, civil engineers, land surveyors, environmental and geotechnical engineers, and environmental assessors has helped them better understand what it means to pursue a career in civil engineering. They had the opportunity to work with members from all departments across the Howell organization and enjoy a mix of work in the office and out in the field. As the summer comes to a close, we asked two of our interns, Bridget and Katelyn, to reflect on their summer at Howell...
Bridget Howe
Civil Engineering Intern at Howell Engineering
"My name is Bridget, and I have been at Howell since the end of April. I am a rising sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Environmental Engineering. I was grateful to be the first recipient of a local scholarship through the Ted Gacomis Scholarship for Civil Engineering last year when I graduated from Downingtown STEM. I later learned that it came with an internship opportunity at Howell. Thinking that I would be too young and inexperienced with only one year of engineering curriculum under my belt at Pitt, I called expecting an indifferent response like many other companies towards young students. Instead, Denny personally welcomed me into the Howell community and offered me a wonderful opportunity this summer.
Many have told me that Ted Gacomis had a positive attitude and was always looking for a teaching moment, taking the time to inspire others while spreading laughter. The people I work with at Howell embodied this frame of mind, patiently answering my (very frequent) questions, exposing me to new experiences, teaching me a wide variety of skills, and giving me the time to expand my skill set.
Aside from my education, I had virtually no experience with engineering coming into this. I still remember the fear I experienced the first time I saw a CAD sketch—I felt like a fifth grader who got lost and ended up at an engineering firm. Luckily, I caught on pretty quickly. I got to be outside frequently, flying drones for survey and marketing, operating the pipe crawler, being onsite for geotechnical and environmental drilling, doing Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, conducting soil tests at the geotech lab, going to conferences, and I even got to operate a mini excavator while running water infiltration tests. In the office, I have created sketches, modeled 3D designs, prepared environmental impact assessments, calculated tree replacement numbers, helped finalize plans, and written manuals. I also became a 3D printing expert this summer and printed several stormwater structure models despite my frequent arguments with the printer. Although I faced some frustrations while still learning, the challenges and obstacles drove me to become a better problem solver, and I learned so much more from exploring on my own through trial and error.
I am so grateful for the professional experience that came with this internship, but more so, I am glad to have been a part of the Howell community. I was welcomed by everybody and got to work closely with many people. I would like to personally thank each person who helped me or let me tag along, patiently explaining the things that might seem simple to you after years of experience. All your help has allowed me to grow, learn, and do things I thought I would not be capable of at 19. It has instilled in me a new confidence and passion for this line of work, and I am excited to see where I can take these skills. And, of course, I have to give a special thanks to the real MVPs of Howell – the well-mannered, very serious Roscoe and George, a loveable, slobbery, bottomless pit.
Katelyn Williams
Environmental Scientist Intern at ePhase
Interning at ePhase has done more than teach me about Phase I ESAs; it has given me a glimpse into the complex world of environmental and engineering work and set a high standard for a dynamic, cordial, humor-filled office. This summer, I had the pleasure of interning for ePhase, learning the ins and outs of preparing Phase I ESA reports from Amanda Schneider and Rebecca Walsh. I am currently attending George Washington University in Washington, DC, majoring in Environmental and Sustainability Science with a concentration in Earth and Environmental Science and a Math minor. As a student who spends most of my time in STEM-focused courses, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn about a more legal approach to environmental work. During site visits to Phase I properties, we explored various unique properties, one of which was used for race car building!
In addition to Phase I work, I’ve had the pleasure of observing the operations of the other Howell companies, shadowing Colen Sorber for water infiltration testing, Tom Plasket for geotechnical drilling, Nate Maute for soil sample testing, and Ed O’Connor, Andon Heinberger, and Paul Yost for field surveying. While drilling, I observed soil boring and air rotary.
These experiences have given me valuable insight into the world of environmental work and surveying. Additionally, throughout the summer, I was introduced to the basics of AutoCAD and got a glimpse of the inner workings of Howell Engineering. Working for a Howell company surely kept me on my toes, as the layered nature of engineering and environmental work means there is always more to learn. A guaranteed highlight of my day was George and Roscoe's twice (sometimes thrice or even four-fold) daily visits to say hello, request a treat, or discuss some very important work matters (probably delegating some of their very intense workload).
Some friendly critters were encountered throughout the summer as well!
We are proud of Bridget and Katelyn and all they have accomplished this summer!
