My Summer Experience: Andrew Nardella

Andrew Nardella
Rail Engineer Intern for Kiewit Construction
Senior, Construction Management Major
Columbus

The famous iPhone jingle at 5:30 in the morning jump-starts my morning routine five days a week. After my daily cup of coffee, I greet my fellow interns, engineers, superintendents, and managers and their enthusiastic early morning faces.

Originally from the wonderful state of Ohio, I made the journey by truck out to Fremont, Calif. in the Bay Area for my on-location internship with Kiewit Construction. Aside from the site-seeing trek across America, I have accomplished many beneficial, resume-building activities.

Since this is my first Kiewit Construction management experience, I had no clue what to expect walking in the front door on my first day. I expected the copy machine to be my best friend by the end of the summer. Little did I know that everyone in the office would soon know my name.

I lived with four other engineers and I played softball weekly with the majority of the members of the office. My weekends consisted of beach trips, mountain biking, country concerts, and wakeboarding with members of the office as well. Not a day went by when I didn’t interact with the family that adopted me for the summer.

Following our construction crew’s 7 a.m. “stretch and flex” safety talks, my direct supervisor and I organized our documents, meeting times, and priorities for the week to come. Organization was the number one tool that helped me progress throughout my internship.

The most beneficial aspect of this job was the hands-on experience. I was responsible for coordinating crews, working two midnight 850 cubic yard concrete pours, purchasing tools and supplies, building railroad safety walks, and many other miscellaneous job specific tasks.

I look forward to being able to share my unique summer long Kiewit experience with Bowling Green State University. I am thankful for the opportunity that I have been given and look forward to any and all opportunities in the future.