Civil engineering major Lilo Emerson came to MSOE so she could pursue two goals: a high-level engineering education and playing collegiate hockey. 

Emerson will graduate as one of the inaugural members of the MSOE women’s hockey program. The university added the sport at the NCAA varsity level during the 2024–25 season. The senior defender has been able to balance the rigor of MSOE academics with athletics while pursuing opportunities to set herself up for a successful career post-graduation.

Thanks in part to the help of the MSOE Career Connections Center, she was able to secure an internship the summer of 2025 in the construction industry at Michels Construction. 

“I attended the 2025 career fair with no prior internship experience,” said Emerson. “With guidance from the Career Connections Center, I was able to secure this internship directly through the fair, and that opportunity ultimately led to a full-time position after graduation.”

In her role as a project engineer intern at Michels, she worked within their marine division dive department gaining experience during various phases of the construction process. As a civil engineering major specializing in environmental/water resource engineering, the experience gave her the opportunity to dive deeper on classroom concepts in real-world situations. 

“My day-to-day responsibilities changed depending on the needs of each project, but they primarily consisted of using AutoCAD to create as-built drawings of active construction, developing work plans for upcoming construction activities and creating inspection reports based on underwater inspections performed by commercial divers.”

Her experience as an intern ultimately led to a full-time job offer. Emerson will start her career at Michels in the same department she interned upon graduating from MSOE the spring of 2027.

“I'm incredibly grateful to both MSOE and Michels Construction for helping create this opportunity. I am also very thankful for the Career Connections Center and the support they provided throughout this entire process. It's been a long road to get here, and they were a valuable resource every step of the way.”

Originally from Barrie, Ontario, Canada, being able to secure a full-time position and navigate the extra steps as an international student is no easy feat. Emerson’s hard work, determination and utilization of MSOE’s resources were important to her success.

“The combination of classroom learning and industry experience played a major role in helping me discover a career path that genuinely excites me, and I am thankful for all of the support I've received along the way.”