Interns at FPA: Kurt Newman
In recognition of National Intern Day, we’re continuing our spotlight series highlighting some of the students currently in the Internship Program at French & Parrello Associates (FPA). National Intern Day, held on July 27th is used as an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the future leaders of our world. Through this spotlight series, we mean to highlight our appreciation for the Interns at FPA and all the hard work they do.
The following is a Q&A with Kurt Newman, an Intern in FPA’s Civil/Site Department. Kurt is currently a Senior at the University of Delaware where he is majoring in Civil Engineering.
What has been your greatest takeaway during your Internship at FPA so far?
My greatest takeaway from my internship so far is just how many different types of work go into, and how many disciplines can be involved in, a single project. While I have only worked on tasks for projects that are in my department, it is obvious from talking to my managers and coworkers that, throughout the lifespan of a project, many people from a number of departments have a hand in developing a project. While other people might see that in a disparaging light, I think it is fulfilling to know that my work is part of something bigger.
What would you say is the best thing about interning at FPA?
The best thing about interning at FPA is getting to see concepts and techniques I studied in school be used in a professional setting. Sitting in a classroom and taking notes works well enough, but I find learning through experience to be more effective. In addition, I am gaining insight to how a business in this field operates; something that has never really been covered in one of my classes.
What career path do you hope to take after graduation, and why?
This internship showed me that I made the right choice by studying Civil Engineering. After I graduate, I hope to do something very similar to this, but I can also see myself working in more niche areas. For example, I earned my Scuba certification this year and completely fell in love with it. In the future, I hope to be able to integrate that with my career in some way.
