Kel Okpara, Civil Engineering, Class of 2028

Where are you interning, and what is your role?

I am interning with the Rowan University Sustainable Facilities Center as an Engineering Assessor.

What projects or assignments are you working on?

I spent the summer performing inspections and assessments for over 20 different NJ Army National Guard (NJARNG) buildings across the state.

What does a typical day look like?

My typical work day consists of me carpooling to the work site with my fellow engineer Derik Mitchell. Then throughout the day my partner and I inventory and assess all the different buildings around the site. We do this by taking photos of damages and distresses, as well as calculating measurements for each of the building's components. When I am not visiting different sites, I am in the office, checking and entering data into our spreadsheets.

What Rowan class or experience has helped you most?

My experience as a Community Assistant at Rowan University has helped me the most in my internship. That experience taught me how to be more detail oriented with data and the importance of double checking your work.

What new technical or professional skills have you developed?

I learned how to use a new software called BUILDER SMS and improved my skills in Autodesk Revit. Working with my team also taught me how to collaborate effectively and also helped me to start thinking through my problems the way engineers do.

What has surprised you about working in the civil engineering field?

I was surprised by how active the field actually is. Before this internship, I thought civil engineers spent most of their time independently behind a desk. However, we've been visiting multiple different sites and collaborating together as a team.

How has a faculty member or mentor supported you?

My supervisor, Kathleen Mullins, has supported me the most during my work experience. Kathy has always been available to help me and the team when needed, and she never fails to make sure our data is as accurate as possible.

What advice would you give another student pursuing an internship?

I would tell other engineering students looking for internships to focus less on the pay and company name, and more on the experience and skills they'll gain. Those are what will really benefit you in the long run.

Complete the sentence: “This summer, I am helping to…”

...assess the condition of NJARNG buildings to identify those that are in the greatest need of repair . The information we gather helps secure government funding to restore and maintain these military armories.