Morgan Mills

Last summer, I interned as a Management Consultant in the Water Division of ARCADIS US. This internship gave me the opportunity to apply the problem solving skills I learned in my core classes here at Cornell to a new and unfamiliar area of engineering. Although I had no previous experience in water or sewage besides fluid mechanics, the rigorous work at Cornell prepared me to adapt to and quickly master new programs, such as SQL, ArchGIS and MathCAD, that I used to analyze sewage treatment systems and costs in distant and exotic locations such as Saudi Arabia and Aruba. This summer I had the opportunity to act as a consultant for one of the largest sewage districts on a technological upgrade project, financially analyze a meter implementation, and geologically map a clean up for a major gas company. I even had the opportunity to spend days in the field inspecting culverts for ODOT. 

Being able to tangibly visualize the real world application of the knowledge I have acquired in my classes in these projects allowed me to see my coursework in a refreshing and practical light. It also inspired and challenged me to think more deeply about inventive ways to implement what I have learned. The diverse ways in which I applied myself in this summer internship, which fortunately turned into a full time position, gave me a taste of the positive impact that I could make in the community through a career in civil engineering.