Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

• AGC Secretary (2005-2006)
• Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) Secretary/Treasurer (2005–2006)
• Cornerstone Learning Community Peer Mentor (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006)
• ASC Student Competition—Commercial Team Member (Fall 2005)
• Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Peer Mentor (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006)
• WiSE Engineering Student Council Representative (Fall 2004–Spring 2006)

As a freshman without prior construction experience, I set a goal of obtaining a summer internship with a construction contractor. I succeeded by attending the two engineering career fairs and being active with AGC, MCA, and WiSE. I gained the confidence to talk to contractors with the attitude that 'I am the person you want to hire.

During my first internship as a project engineer intern with Hill Mechanical Corporation (Chicago's largest mechanical contractor), I learned about how underground condensate and steam piping works and about what a project engineer does. I spent half my time in the home office and the last eight weeks at Northwestern University doing an underground steam and condensate replacement job.

I learned how to do sheet metal and pipe take-off, how to put together a bid, how to solve problems, how to put together a schedule, how to communicate with vendors, and how to recognize what kind of equipment is used in certain situations.

I realized how much communication goes on between the engineer, architect, project manager, and workers. I gained an appreciation of the time dedicated to scheduling certain events, working with a subcontractor or a concrete cutter, and keeping the project on target and workers satisfied.

Getting to know the pipe fitters, excavators, and other workers taught me about their trades. The guys in the office were always willing to answer questions and explain things to me. I would not trade anything for this internship.

• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
• Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)
• Engineering Student Council
• ConE Engineering Undergraduate Research Assistant

My first semester at Iowa State I declared my major as undeclared engineering. I had an interest in mechanical engineering and civil engineering, but had a very difficult time deciding between the two. My mentor in WiSE, Nicole Bell, was a sophomore in construction engineering and a very involved student in the ConE student organization, AGC. With her help and advice, I realized that construction engineering was the major for me.

In ConE 110, I discovered even more opportunities available to me as a female ConE student, one of which included the chance of getting an internship the summer following my freshman year. Our teachers, Dr. Strong and Ms. Wiley-Jones, encouraged us to attend the career fair and sell ourselves as the “best person for the job.” For this career fair I used the map of the career fair location, wore business attire, and walked up to each company representative with the attitude that “I am the best person for the job.”

That same semester I was offered an undergraduate research assistantship with ConE professor, Dr. Kandil. Since I have plans to enter graduate school, I knew this would be a great opportunity for me, instead of an internship.

I gained a maturity while being a part of the ConE program in so many ways in only one semester. The following semester I decided to study abroad at the American University of Egypt. I am back now sharing my international experience with others, encouraging them to study abroad.

• Cornerstone Learning Community Peer Mentor (Spring 2007)
  
• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter
• Sigma Lambda Chi (Construction Engineering Honor Society)
  

I knew since I was a little kid that I wanted to go to Iowa State University. My freshman year I was part of the Construction Engineering Cornerstone Learning Community and also lived on a WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering) floor. I got to know other freshmen and we could help each other study. Last semester I was a Peer Mentor for the Cornerstone Learning Community!

After my freshman year, summer of 2005, I worked for Snyder & Associates in Ankeny, Iowa, as a construction observer after talking with them at the Engineering Career Fair. My “mentor” was a woman and a graduate from the construction engineering program at Iowa State. I loved working with her and had plenty of questions, which she was always happy to answer. 

My sophomore year, I once again attended the career fair, from which I was offered an internship with GE Johnson Construction Co. in Vail, Colorado, Summer, 2006. My project was the remodel of the Park Hyatt Hotel and Spa. I was a project engineer intern and worked with another woman a few years older than me. She was a great mentor and we also became really good friends. I wrote and posted RFI’s (Request for Information), I read through submittals, and I did walk throughs with the subcontractors, the architects and the interior designers. I definitely learned a lot on that internship!

When classes started up again in the fall, I was able to relate a lot of the things I did with what I was learning in my classes. I will spend the summer of 2007 in San Diego, California, interning with DPR Construction.

I never dreamed that I would be living in Vail, Colorado, for one summer and then San Diego, California, the next summer. Being in the construction engineering program at Iowa State has given me the opportunities of a lifetime!

• Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) Student Chapter
• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter
• Sigma Lambda Chi (SLC) Secretary
  
• Iowa State "Varsity" Marching Band
  

I entered Iowa State as a civil engineer. But after attending the fall career fair and going on a job site tour with Turner Construction, I decided to transfer to construction engineering. I worked for Kiewit Building Group out of Omaha, Nebraska, in the summer of 2006. I was on-site at a college addition and renovation. I worked as both an office and field engineer. I had direct interaction with the field engineer, superintendent, project manager, and foreman. I also conducted the daily safety walks and learned from the subcontractors. 

Now, I find myself enjoying class and learning something new every day. I have become involved with AGC and DBIA, where I attend field trips, volunteer, and have fun with my classmates. I obtained a summer 2007 internship with DPR Construction in New Port Beach, California.  I have found that construction engineering provides great opportunity and flexibility.

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter
• Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) Student Chapter
• Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Student Competition, Residential Team
• The Engineering Ambassador and Mentor Program
  

Throughout high school I dreamed of being an architect and designing houses and office buildings. Within the first week of the pre-architecture program here at Iowa State I became aware of all the “behind-the-scenes” work that is involved with making the architect’s design and drawings become a real structure and that is what drew me to the College of Engineering.

After finishing my freshman year as an open-option student, I transferred into civil engineering with a building emphasis, unaware of the construction engineering program. After taking some of the introductory classes in the civil engineering program , talking to a few construction engineering students, and doing some research on the program and curriculum, I decided that this is where I should have been from the very beginning.

Being involved in student organizations, such as AGC and DBIA, has made my experience in this program great. Without any construction field experience, these organizations have allowed me to get some hands-on experience and be able to see what Iowa State ConE graduates are doing with their degrees. A degree in construction engineering will still allow me to be involved in the design of a building but then follow it all the way through to the finisheded product.

Read about more our women in construction engineering alumnae.