Many MSOE students spend their summers at internships gaining valuable hands-on experiences in their fields of study. Several students from MSOE's Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department have the unique opportunity to work directly on a campus project, the Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center (EIC), through their summer internships.

Jatinder Singh ’27, civil engineering major, is a project management intern with MC Group, the group that is serving as the owner’s representative for the EIC project. He’s tasked with attending project meetings, reviewing schedules, helping track project budgets and costs, reviewing various testing and field reports, and preparing weekly and monthly reports to document the EIC project progress.

“It feels really special to be involved with this project,” said Singh. “Since I am a student here, it gives the work more meaning because I can see how the project will benefit the campus community. This internship has already helped me better understand the construction industry and the role that strong project management plays in delivering a successful project.” 

Singh’s MSOE education has given him a strong foundation to succeed at his internship, learning the technical and management side of construction in his classes and then applying that knowledge in the field. At the jobsite, he’s building on those skills and getting the chance to network with major companies throughout the construction industry.

Helen Bechthold ’27, a civil engineering major with a focus in construction management, is also gaining more experience as a project engineer intern with VJS Construction Services, the primary contractor of the EIC project. She supports the team by maintaining document logs, creating markups, taking meeting minutes, reviewing submittals, and assisting with project coordination.

“It is a unique and rewarding experience to work on a project that will have such a lasting impact on the MSOE community,” said Bechthold. “As a student, I understand how important spaces like the Engineering Innovation Center will be for future generations of students. Being able to contribute in a small way to a project that I will see firsthand makes the work especially meaningful.”

Bechthold’s experience with VJS has given her the chance to strengthen the technical skills she’s learned in the classroom by applying concepts to the EIC project and her day-to-day internship tasks. She’s also benefiting from the team members that support her, who are willing to answer her questions and help her throughout this experience.

Although both Singh and Bechthold will graduate before the opening of the EIC, they can look back in admiration as they made an impact on a project etched into MSOE’s campus footprint.

The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center (EIC) is expected to open in the fall of 2027. The 4-story, 97,000-square-foot academic building will have flexible labs, modern classrooms, workshops focused on robotics and AI, an outdoor sustainability lab, and public spaces that support collaborative learning across all disciplines. The construction of the EIC is part of MSOE’s Next Bold Step: The Campaign to Accelerate Innovation and is fully funded by philanthropy.

For the latest construction updates, including a live stream feed, visit msoe.edu/construction.