Laila Jackson , a senior applied engineering science major, spent her summer at Burns & McDonnell, a critical infrastructure construction firm in Houston, Texas. She found this opportunity through National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) alumni connections. As a project controls intern in the construction department, Jackson supported the project managers by overseeing project costs and schedules.
When asked her advice for others thinking about internships, Jackson said, “Leverage the Michigan State University name, it truly will take you far. Be involved – go to the socials and say yes when asked to do things. I met the CEO of the company this summer, solely off going to an office celebration event. Connect with other interns and remain in contact throughout the year, they can teach you so much about different departments you didn’t get to experience.“
Mahir Gandhi , a junior mechanical engineering major and Michigander Scholar, worked for General Motors Dimensional Systems Group in the body shop in the Lansing Delta Township plant in Lansing, Michigan. He discovered this opportunity through research on Handshake and LinkedIn. His focus was tooling, fixture design and fabrication for the plant. He also checked for incorrect placement or orientation of parts within the cars, known in the industry as dimensional misalignment.
“My internship at GM has given me firsthand exposure to the scale and complexity of automotive manufacturing,” Gandhi said. “Working real plant-floor challenges taught me how to think critically under time constraints, adapt to fast-paced production and approach engineering decisions with a focus on both technical accuracy and operational impact. This will guide me in applying a more practical perspective to my remaining coursework and future engineering roles.”
Tamia Jenkins , a junior environmental engineering major, spent her summer with Exxon Mobil Global Operations and Sustainability in the Upstream Regulatory and Permitting Group. A recent MSU alumnus sent her a link to sign up for the ExxonMobil NSBE Summer Virtual Expo, and she landed the internship there.
“I chose this internship because I was interested in going into an industry that was not typical for my major,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins worked at Exxon’s Houston headquarters and took a weeklong trip to North Dakota this summer to create an ArcGIS map — an interactive, web- or desktop-based map that uses geographic data to visualize information and answer questions. She was tasked with creating the map, adding current environmental data and manipulating layers. Her map identified environmental and cultural areas that were restricted by the state of North Dakota and found near proposed drilling locations in Bakken Basin.
“My summer internship allowed me to apply a lot of my current classroom knowledge which helped me with the technical and scientific aspects of my project,” Jenkins said. “I now have a clearer understanding of how these concepts are used in the industry, which will help me approach my course work with greater confidence and purpose. In addition, working alongside professionals gave me insights into the roles I could pursue after graduation and helped me clarify the type of work environment I would like.”
Learn more about internships through The Center for Spartan Engineering.
Learn more about the undergraduate degree programs offered through the College of Engineering.
Written by Judi Melena Smelser
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page