Student Experience: Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program

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Almost two years ago, I was in the spring semester of my first year at Purdue.  I had just found out I had been accepted into the Lyles School of Civil Engineering out of First Year Engineering and could not have been more ecstatic.  Several peers recommended that I look into scholarships through Civil Engineering, so that I did.  While searching for scholarships, one caught my eye: The Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program.   Being implemented in fall 2022, it was a new program at Purdue, sponsored by the company Kiewit, with the goal of supporting the personal and professional growth of future construction industry talent.  Being selected for this program would come with a financial scholarship as well as numerous professional growth opportunities, from mentorship to a summer internship.  Students within certain majors in the College of Engineering as well as the Purdue Polytechnic Institute would be able to apply for this program.  Once I did my research into Kiewit, as well as the program, which was already in place at another university, I was hooked.  I applied a few days later, after tirelessly working on my application.  An in person interview followed, and I was told that I would hear back at some point over the summer.  Fast forward to July, I woke up to find an email notifying me that I had been chosen as one of the first 16 members of the Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program.

Being a part of the Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program has had a profound impact on my experience here at Purdue. There are countless benefits to this program, but here are the highlights of my experience thus far.


Me on a site visit to Kiewit Offshore Services in Ingleside, TX this summer.



Internship


Each Purdue Kiewit Scholar is offered the opportunity to intern with Kiewit over the summer.  As someone who struggled to obtain an internship at the end of their first year, this was something that drew me to this program.  Although this is not a requirement, as Kiewit Scholars do not have to intern with Kiewit, I personally took advantage of this aspect of the program and interned with Kiewit Oil and Gas Engineering in Houston, Texas over summer 2023.  Thanks to this program, I got to experience a professional work environment in a role I was interested in, as I worked as a structural engineering intern.  

As a part of my internship, I worked with the other structural engineering interns in Kiewit Oil and Gas Engineering to design a steel pipe rack as well as a foundation for it.  I also designed a vertical vessel foundation.  Kiewit fostered a supportive environment for us interns and made it easy for us to reach out to the engineers around us for help, who were more than happy to assist us as needed.  Throughout the summer, Kiewit provided us with several opportunities to visit sites and grow professionally, through lunch and learn events and attending all office meetings, which the interns would sit in on.  Interning at Kiewit was a great experience, as I felt like I was truly a part of the team as an intern.  

After a successful summer with Kiewit, I plan on returning to Kiewit next summer, this time in the Kiewit Building Group, in which I will be serving as a field office engineering intern in Honolulu, Hawaii.  


Leadership and Professional Development


Three other Kiewit Scholars and myself at the Future Women in Kiewit Summit in Omaha, NE.

As a part of this program, I attend a weekly, one-hour seminar course as well as a few evening events each semester.  During these meetings, myself along with the other Kiewit Scholars are introduced to a variety of guest speakers from Purdue and Kiewit.  These speakers talk about a range of topics, from their own experiences to advice on bettering ourselves as professionals.  There are also several opportunities to network with Kiewit executives and industry leaders as well as professors and deans from Purdue.  

Kiewit has also provided several opportunities for us scholars to travel and visit sites and attend conferences.  In May, I was invited to visit the Kiewit office in Lone Tree, Colorado along with the Gross Reservoir site and the Kiewit Training Center in Aurora, Colorado. This trip was extraordinary, as hearing speakers speak about a project is one thing, but seeing a project in person is a whole different thing.  For example, the Gross Reservoir site I had heard about several times prior to this trip, but I did not realize the scale of the project until I was actually there.  Several engineers working on the project talked to our group about their roles in this project as well, and it was truly fascinating to see how a project at that scale comes together.  Another aspect of this trip that I enjoyed was getting to network with Kiewit Scholars from other universities, as the Kiewit Scholars Program at the University of Nebraska went on this trip as well.  

The Kiewit Scholars program has provided me with several opportunities to network.  This week, I am in Omaha, Nebraska at Kiewit University attending the Future Women in Kiewit Summit, in which Kiewit invites women from universities across the U.S. and Canada to come to their corporate headquarters to learn more about Kiewit and hear from leaders within Kiewit on their own diverse experiences, while sharing advice on how to begin to build a successful career. 


Personal Benefits


All of that being said, I have loved being a part of this program. I have made countless connections throughout my time in this program and am beyond glad that I discovered this program during my first year and decided to take a chance and apply.  I have not only developed but have become more confident in my professional skills as well as my ability to network.  Being a part of this program has also made me feel more connected to Purdue, as I have been provided with a new community of people that I have found within my fellow scholars here at Purdue.  Many of the scholars have classes together and several of us travel to events together which has furthered the sense of community within the group.  Our program coordinator, Tyson McFall-Wankat, organizes multiple team bonding opportunities for us throughout the year, from ice cream socials to pumpkin carving to bowling.  Tyson is just one of several mentors I have gained through this program, as we are matched with a professional mentor, and Jim Rowings, a Kiewit Vice President and Purdue Engineering alumni, works closely with our program along with several others to promote our growth.  Getting the chance to know and form connections with industry professionals through this program has been priceless and is one of the things I appreciate most about this program. 



The Kiewit Scholars Program is just one of the many opportunities that can be found here at Purdue.  Purdue provides extensive opportunities to grow oneself professionally.  There are several doors of opportunity here, and my advice is to open as many as you can while you are here.  Whether it is through a scholarship program, conference, or a networking event, take advantage of all that Purdue has to offer. 


Interested in the Purdue Kiewit Scholars Program? Learn more about it here.


Emily Helmuth, Civil Engineering

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