Seed Internships Has Given Me Career Confidence
Degrees of Change
Changing the face of leadership one degree, one career at a time.
by Stephanos Mavrommatis
As the son of Argentinian and Brazilian immigrant parents who will be the first to receive a college degree in my family, navigating university and my career to follow often feels daunting. How do I apply for an internship? How can I ensure I will get a job post-graduation? Will I have enough experience?
Questions like these can seem impossible to answer. But after participating twice in Seed Internships, a program that not only advocates for first-generation college students but also supports them throughout the internship process—the trajectory of my college experience and future career has been transformed.
The name of the game for many college students is to secure an internship during the summer. Adding relevant work experience to your resume can improve your chances of finding a job after college. But I think the college internship process can have a greater impact on our lives than simply providing us with greater post-grad opportunities.
My first Seed internship was in civil engineering the summer of 2023, where I worked closely with the public works department in the City of Sumner. I learned about the intricacies of managing a city, the role engineers play in its upkeep, and furthered my knowledge about the impact engineering can have on humanity.
At Sumner, I strolled the city almost daily, evaluating roads, and checking curb ramps and driveway approaches to ensure compliance with ADA regulations. I took pride in finding ways to improve the infrastructure of a city so close to my home in Tacoma, Washington. I found it fascinating that the small details we tend to overlook, such as curb ramps, actually have a significant impact on our daily lives by ensuring that everyone can have access to sidewalks.
My second Seed internship was in mechanical contracting, this summer, as a project management intern at MacDonald-Miller. Throughout what became a 13-week-long internship within their healthcare division, I was a contributor to the intricate dance of designing, building, and maintaining systems that breathe life into structures.
Where college has shown me the power of a curious mind, internships have shown me the places my mind can take me.
By the end of my first day, I had already been exposed to the in-house manufacturing process of MacMiller’s HVAC and plumbing systems, met the incredible team I would work with throughout the summer, and begun learning the ropes of project management in healthcare.?
Over the next weeks, I became adept at creating RFIs (requests for information to clarify job site questions), Submittals (documents compiling the product information of the mechanical components that MacMiller installs in their systems), and ERLs (equipment logs tracking what has been purchased) –some of the many tasks project managers deal with daily.
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I also learned from the project management team what it truly means to be passionate about your work. The MacMiller slogan is “We make buildings work better”, and every day I watched my colleagues consistently go above and beyond to ensure the MacMiller standard.
I’ve always been a naturally curious person, eager to discover something new about a topic that excites me. To me, college is like a rocket ship launching curious minds into a universe of exploration and endless opportunity. However, with limitless possibilities, the pressure to choose the right career path can be overwhelming. Internships have helped ease this stress.
What these last two summers have shown me is not only the different forms a mechanical engineering career can take, but also?how an internship can be more than just an internship. My Seed experiences have built upon what I am learning in college. Where college has shown me the power of a curious mind, internships have shown me the places my mind can take me.
I am a proud son of immigrant parents, and I now know I will take pride of my heritage with me into my everyday endeavors and the workplace. I have learned so much more about what it is I want to pursue and accomplish in my career as a mechanical engineer. Seed Internships has instilled career confidence in me, and for that I am immensely grateful and excited for what’s to come.
Stephanos Mavrommatis was raised in Tacoma, and is currently attending Washington University in St. Louis. Upon graduation, he will receive undergraduate degrees in applied physics and mechanical engineering, as well as a master’s in engineering management. He aspires to use his career to bring about positive change in his community and solve pressing challenges.?
Featured image: Stephanos at his 2024 MacDonald-Miller internship through our Seed Internships program. (Photo courtesy of Stephanos Mavrommatis)
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Public Works Director at City of Sumner, Washington
2 个月It’s been such a great opportunity to participate as a sponsor in the Degrees of Change Seed Internship program. City staff has had the opportunity to meet so many great students like Stephanos with bright careers ahead of them! Good luck to Stephanos and all of our current and former Seed interns.