Reflections of gratitude

Assuming all goes according to plan in seven months, my Williamsport résumé will reflect a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and a handful of student leadership positions that I have been privileged to serve in over the years.

While reflecting on my three years so far, I am humbled by the efforts of those up and down this institution’s organization in providing students with a quality Penn College experience.

The Career Fair is, for me, the biggest validation that there is something special being offered on this campus. Hundreds of employers across the diverse range of majors and industries promoted here at Penn College recognize the talent in us as students.

As a freshman, I was astonished by the opportunities presented to me at my first Career Fair. Internships from companies small and large and all across the country were being offered to me and my classmates. Countless Penn College alumni, all of whom were in my shoes not long ago, came back to represent these companies. My first internship that I got through the Career Fair was in Washington, D.C. The project was led by a Penn College graduate and included revitalization of a previously abandoned factory into the new (now award-winning) Maydan restaurant.

It was this project that affirmed the niche of construction management is the one for me. Being able to turn the dreams of a client into reality and bring a venue full of new life to an otherwise unwanted space is how I am going to be getting my kicks.

Whether it was learning a new concept from an industry guest speaker, a relationship forged from a conversation with an alumnus or alumna on campus, seeing something new on a field trip, or the mentoring I received through an internship, I am deeply thankful and inspired by the commitments of those alumni to enriching my Penn College experience.

Upon graduation, I will be returning to the Greater Philadelphia Area, working on high-profile construction projects in my very own community, such as hospitals, malls, schools and apartments, just to name a few. While there is still much to learn, between my internship experience and classroom education, I feel well-equipped for my role as a Project Engineer at IMC Construction.

In my role as a Student Development Assistant, I have the awesome chance to further connect with the network of supportive alumni surrounding this institution. These folks contribute both with their time and dollars to the opportunities we have here. Speaking to them provided me with the perspective that I am a part of something larger than my own education. I am confident that my relationship with Penn College will not end on May 16, 2020. In fact, the very definition of “commencement” is the beginning or start of something.

I am excited at the prospects of being able to pay forward the opportunities that were presented to me for future Penn College and Construction Management students.