A Look Back at 2021 Internship Experiences at SEH

Internships offer the exciting opportunity to learn more about your selected area of study, gain firsthand industry experience and make connections with mentors and colleagues who may be able to support your career growth. At SEH, interns are more than just students joining us for a few months. They’re colleagues with the opportunity to become leaders.

In fact, some return for a second internship because they are eager to continue their life at SEH. Others go on to join SEH in full-time roles. As we approach the start of the next intern season, here’s a look at what our 2021 interns had to say about what they learned, their experiences, and their advice for others looking for internships.

Bryan Eastlund
University of North Dakota | Graduated
Major in Airport Management, Minor in Unmanned Air Systems
Natural Resource Scientists Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I saw an opportunity out of college that involved part of my minor, not my major, and I wanted to explore what the field offered in real-world applications.

Describe your interning experience.
Flying drones provided me with many different experiences, such as creating marketing videos, capturing panorama shots, learning mission mapping using ArcGIS Pro and filling out billing sheets. I analyzed data and worked with editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Lightroom. During my internship, I worked with the SEH airports group, toured airfields SEH worked on and met with airport planners and engineers.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
As a consultant, there is a demand for flexibility and patience. The process and experience gained is the most important part. Absorb as much as you can.

Melanie King
Winona State University | Graduated
Major in Mass Communications with an emphasis in digital advertising
Marketing Communications Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I wanted to see what it was like to work in-house for a single company compared to the agency lifestyle. So far, it’s been amazing!

Describe your interning experience.
It’s been phenomenal. The team has been incredibly helpful and friendly. I’ve taken part in tons of new opportunities and grown in my experience and abilities. Since I graduated, my internship has extended into 2022, and I'm excited to continue working with SEH.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
Experience at any level is great to have. It’s amazing how much you can learn outside the classroom, so try your best to get everything you want out of an internship. It can also be a great chance to know what kind of work environment you like, and what you don’t like.

Hunter Lund
University of Wisconsin – Platteville | Graduated
Major in Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I interned with SEH in summer 2020 and was fortunate to be part of a company that cares about its employees. I wanted to come back. As an intern, I noticed the high value that SEH places on employees of all levels. Throughout my summer 2021 internship, I had many questions while learning new processes. Everyone I reached out to was more than willing to help me out the best they could. No question was too big or too small.

Describe your interning experience.
This past summer, I worked in the office on two local street projects. One project was a 1.5-mile reconstruction, and the other was a new 1-mile stretch of road. Most of my work was in Civil3D, working with plan sheets and getting them ready for approval and bidding.

I worked on nearly every part of the plans, which immensely helped me to understand projects as a whole. Paired with my field experience from last summer, I understood the process of taking a project from design to completion.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
I would encourage anyone looking for an internship to find opportunities to make the most of them. Start by getting involved in school or professional organizations in your field. These organizations are great ways to network and expand your knowledge. Also, find opportunities to expand your learning beyond the classroom, such as an online safety course or a weekend certification program.

Getting involved and making the most of these opportunities helps when looking for an internship and seeking full-time employment. Every extra beneficial thing that fills up your schedule is another reason for a company to look at you over another applicant.

Annika Mikk
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities | Senior
Major in Environmental Engineering
Wastewater Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
One of the reasons I decided to intern with SEH was the people. The people that interviewed me were incredibly nice. I knew they would be my supervisors, and I was excited to work with them. They were very supportive throughout the summer, even with the uncertainty brought by COVID-19. My internship at SEH was also directly related to my major and the concepts I had been learning in school.

I worked with the SEH wastewater group and got real-world experience with my environmental engineering knowledge. Other internships I applied to would have been more civil engineering-focused.

Describe your interning experience.
I really appreciated going to on-site visits and seeing the plants in real life. I spent time in the office reviewing drawings and submittals, and it was great to see the bigger picture of what I had been working on during those visits. One of my favorite aspects was getting to tour the pilot trailer. I saw different treatment methods being tested, and it was interesting to see all of that in one place.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
Don't be afraid to ask questions and form connections with your coworkers. The people I worked with at SEH were incredibly friendly and easy to talk to, and it was helpful to have that human connection and see how others approach their work. In my experience, people want to talk to you, so don't be afraid to reach out!

Andrew Nelson
Dunwoody College of Technology | Senior
Major in Architecture
Architect Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I met the wastewater engineering group at a Dunwoody career fair, and they put me in touch with the SEH architecture group.

Describe your interning experience.
My internship has been a great experience. I usually have real hands-on work to do, which makes me feel valued and helps me gain experience toward becoming a licensed architect. While working remotely, it was sometimes a bit slow getting projects to work on, so maybe an in-person internship might have been more productive for me.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
I would suggest keeping an open mind and being as productive as possible – asking for new opportunities and meeting them with a good attitude.

Andrea Schaub
Iowa State University | Senior
Major in Civil Engineering
Airport Planning and Design Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I chose SEH because the company works on a variety of projects. I had never thought of becoming an airport engineer, but this internship provided an opportunity to learn and gain great experience in civil engineering.

Describe your interning experience.
I worked from home most of the time, working on CAD drawings, but I also had the chance to see a project completed from start to finish out in the field. I was able to go to other airports and learn about those projects. Being out in the field was a great learning experience, and I learned so much more than I ever could have imagined.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
Apply to internships you think you would like, as well as some that you may not have the highest interest in, because you never know. You may realize you like that discipline. Also, always ask questions and use the knowledgeable people around you to your advantage.

Randy Solorzano

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I stand by the company’s motto of Building a Better World for All of Us®. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a positive change?

Describe your interning experience.
I would say "loud and sweaty," because I worked outside in the heat all summer. But I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I learned so much from the survey crew and other SEH personnel by observing them out the field, doing their job.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
If you feel you’re not qualified, don’t be afraid to apply for an internship! Learn how to talk about your skills and experience, and relate them to similar work in the internship. Prepare for interviews!

Josh Waadevig
University of Minnesota – Duluth | Sophomore
Major in Mechanical Engineering
Highway Design Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
SEH has an office somewhat close to home for me, in Rochester, Minnesota, and offered an excellent experience to jump right in to an internship early in my school career.

Describe your interning experience.
I spent my internship almost entirely in the field. I worked on conflicts between planning and design, and what was in the field that we had to work around. I don't doubt that the firsthand experience of seeing plans come together into a finished project that you can walk and drive on will be useful in my future years of engineering.

The big lesson was that what you plan for and what it's really like are two completely different things, and the error involved is where the real problem-solving is.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
Jump into it as soon as you can. There's no reason not to start early and award yourself that much more experience.

Adam Wehking
University of Wisconsin – Madison | Senior
Major in Civil Engineering
Highway Design Intern

Why did you choose SEH for your internship?
I had heard about the different types of civil engineering work that SEH does, and I wanted to learn more about the professionals, the work and the potential careers in those areas. SEH allowed me to see projects and work in various areas alongside multiple people in different disciplines within civil engineering.

Describe your interning experience.
My internship experience was great! I mainly worked as an inspector on a highway rehabilitation project and had opportunities to see a bridge reconstruction. I also worked with an SEH land surveying crew for a couple of weeks. I appreciated being able to see different projects and learn about multiple careers.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an internship?
Use the internship as a learning experience. Yes, you are there to complete work for the company, but it is also an opportunity to learn about the industry and professions within it. Ask a lot of questions! Everyone is willing to explain things and offer advice because they like seeing people interested in what they are doing. People want to help you, so make the most out of the experience by asking questions of all of those around you.

Thank you, interns!

SEH values the interns who choose to start their careers or define their careers with us. Thank you to the nine people above who shared their insights and to the additional 19 interns named below who spent 2021 spring, summer and fall with us.

• Noah Brown, Wastewater
• Cassie Cavegn, Water
• Henry Claridge, Traffic
• Steven Collins, Highway Design
• Parker Cox, Survey
• Samantha Fanion, Civil
• Brendon Kaminski, Civil
• Logan Ketelhut, Civil
• Johnny Kind, Highway Design
• Lucas Knutson, Survey
• Zachary Loge, Civil
• Noah Odalen, Water Resources
• Ochuko Regha, Civil
• John Remer, Mechanical & Electrical
• Taylor Schloemer, Civil
• Logan Schmidt, Airport Planning & Design
• Mitchell Turner, Airport Planning & Design
• Brody Wristen, Highway Design
• Abdikarim Yusuf, Civil

Learn more about our internship and career opportunities.