Co-op Ambassador:
Lea Bolognini            

Major: Civil Engineering
Graduation Date: May 2019
Co-op Company: Britt, Peters & Associates

Why did you decide to co-op?
Before my co-op, I had never had a job or internship in the engineering field. I decided to take advantage of the co-op program to gain some experience in my chosen career area while I was still in school! It also really helped solidify my choice in major here at Clemson.

What types of projects did you work on?
I worked on a variety of structural engineering projects in my time at Britt Peters. I was exposed to everything from wood construction, to concrete, and steel. I was able to help with designs on both new construction and upfit/renovation type projects. In addition to design, I helped with checking construction documents and answering RFIs from contractors. I helped with every stage of the process on a bunch of different projects.

Describe your relationship with your mentor(s) and other colleagues:
My mentor and other colleagues were always willing to help answer any questions I had, even if the question was about a project that they were not involved with. They also made the work environment comfortable by being approachable, so I was never afraid to ask for help.

What was your most memorable moment on assignment?
My favorite moment of my co-op was seeing the things that I helped create and design be printed into building plans and sent off to contractors and architects! Since I worked on many projects in the Greenville area, it was also cool to see some of the buildings that I had helped design while they were under construction.

What aspect of your co-op assignment do you feel will be the most beneficial after you graduate?
I learned many things while on my co-op rotations that I would have never learned in the classroom, like the process of designing a building from the beginning through the construction phase, and how to interact with clients. Having this general knowledge about the structural engineering field will be helpful after graduation, since it will hopefully cut down on the learning curve of a new job.

What advice do you have for other students looking to complete the co-op program?
You will only get as much out of the experience as you put in, so really try to learn as much as you can while on the job!