If I could use three words to describe my internship at Carpenter Marty Transportation, they would be growth, community, and opportunity. From my first day, my first impression of CM was the sense of community. I immediately recognized that the people who work here enjoy what they do, and it made me excited to be part of the team.

I learned a lot during my internship. I came in not knowing much about software like OpenRoads, but with the patience and help from everyone in the office, I was able to pick up on it. Looking back, it’s exciting to see how much I learned in such a short amount of time. What made that growth possible was the support from my coworkers and mentors. I had a lot of questions, and they always took the time to explain things in an easy-to-understand way. They also included me in everything they were working on so I could see the process behind each project and better understand how everything comes together.

One thing that surprised me most during my internship was just how much drainage and water management are involved in transportation engineering. Before working on projects, I hadn’t realized how important that aspect of roadway design was. It gave me a better understanding of everything that goes into transportation engineering.

One challenge I’m especially proud of overcoming was learning the software and becoming more confident using it. On my first day, I struggled to do just about anything, so looking back now, I can truly see the growth I’ve made in such a short amount of time.

My internship at CM helped confirm my career goals while also opening my eyes to new possibilities. I already knew I wanted to work in an office environment, and this experience confirmed that for me. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about roadway design specifically, but after working on projects throughout the summer, I learned that I really enjoy it.

Beyond the technical experience, I also got to experience the company culture at CM. My favorite part is how close everyone is. Early in my internship, I got to participate in a Thumbs Up Thursday, which helped me get to know more of the team outside of my day-to-day work. It made me feel even more welcomed and showed me how much everyone enjoys working together.

In the future, I’ll take away the obvious technical skills, like learning OpenRoads, but I also learned a lot about the teamwork that goes into every project. Seeing how everyone works together taught me that collaboration is just as important as the technical side of engineering.

My advice to future interns would be not to be afraid to ask questions. I learned very quickly that I would rather ask and get it right the first time than keep doing something the wrong way. Everyone at CM wants to help you learn, and asking questions is one of the best ways to grow.

Overall, my internship at Carpenter Marty Transportation gave me the opportunity to learn new skills, build my confidence, and gain a better understanding of the kind of engineer I want to become. I’m grateful for everything I learned and for the people who made my internship such a positive experience.

Brooke Rosander

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Class of 2028