Interns at FPA: Isabel Diaz
In recognition of National Intern Day, we’re continuing our spotlight series 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 Isabel Diaz, an Intern in FPA’s Bridges Department. Isabel is a Junior at Virginia Tech University where she is studying Civil and Environmental Engineering. Along with her hard work in the office, Isabel is also part of the FPA Softball and Volleyball teams.
What has been your greatest takeaway during your Internship at FPA so far?
The greatest takeaway from my internship has been getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. When I first started, I was so lost. I had attended a meeting and it sounded like everyone was speaking in code. But as the internship continued, I began to learn the acronyms and meetings became less daunting. Instead of letting the vast new vocabulary scare me I chipped away little by little by asking questions, looking things up online, and repetition. Also, joining the sports teams at FPA was nerve wrecking but everyone was so welcoming, and joining those teams gave me more familiar faces in the office that helped me get more comfortable being in the office as well. Throughout my time here I have put myself in new situations that may have been a little uncomfortable at first but that was where the most growth was able to happen.
What would you say is the best thing about interning at FPA?
My favorite part about interning at FPA has definitely been the work culture. Everyone is so kind and willing to lend a helping hand. Being that this was my first internship I had a lot to learn, and everyone here understood that and was willing to take the extra 10 minutes to explain the backstory and civil engineering significance to the assignment I was doing, instead of just giving me the assignment; which allowed me to see the whole picture and made it easier for me to understand the whole process of a project.
What career path do you hope to take after graduation, and why?
After I graduate, I hope to go into structural engineering and continue in the bridge engineering path. Before starting here, I knew I wanted to be in civil engineering, but I was not sure which discipline I would be most interested in. Being at FPA has helped me see a future in bridge engineering as it has the balance of in-office and field work, that I am looking for. I have enjoyed learning about all aspects of being in the bridge group and seeing things from the preliminary engineering phase all the way up to construction.
