Hannah Maas is a senior, entering her last semester at the University of Wisconsin studying geological engineering and geology & geophysics with a focus on infrastructure. Eager to learn what she applied in school, build connections with those in the industry and most importantly prep for the next level in her career; she joined MWH as a summer intern in the Chicago office in 2015. She highlights some of her great successes during her internship as well as tips for future interns.
What attracted you to this role?
I loved seeing how involved MWH Global is with hydropower and water resource management, along with all of the interesting projects they showed on their website located all over the world. They did not seem like a company that had a typical project that they always went after, but instead strive to work on unique and complex projects all the time.
What have you enjoyed most about your internship?
One thing that I’ve enjoyed the most about my internship is that I feel as though I’m not given busy work. I feel like every task I have is related to a project and helping a team of people reach a goal.
What was your favorite experience from your internship?
Today was my last day, and also a deadline for a project that I’ve been helping to work on all summer. It’s been amazing to see all the edits and comments come together to make something that I will always be proud to take a part in.
Hannah and a few fellow interns went on a kayaking tour of the Chicago office with several employees in the Chicago office
What was the most challenging or difficult?
The most challenging was when I was asked to contact people not only in other office locations, but other companies. I was very nervous, but it was a good change to build my confidence in talking with others.
What has helped you be successful and how?
One of the things that have helped me be more successful is asking questions, whether if it’s clarifying a task or asking more about a project due to curiosity. Because of this, I’ve learned that people love talking about what they’re working on and are happy to share their expertise which makes my time spent working even more enjoyable.
What do you like most about the work that you do?
I really like seeing the progress of a project and how my work relates to it. It’s very rewarding to see a project come together and know that you played a part (even if it’s a small one) in something that will be around for decades or more.
