MTSU concrete, construction students pursue internships via speed interviews

Nearly 40 MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management students piqued the interest of 19 companies regionally and nationwide Friday (Feb. 9).

The companies, invited to campus by one of the signature MTSU programs, were seeking summer interns that often lead to full-time employment.

The School of Concrete and Construction Management conducts Internship Speed Interviewing Days so students can meet face to face with potential employers, sharing their resumes — and in some cases their hobbies and interests away from campus — with companies including Lehigh Hanson, Lithko, Blue Dot Readi-Mix, Drees Homes and others.

Gabriel Banda, a junior construction management (land development and residential) major from Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, by way of Zambia, called it “a good experience, getting to meet a lot of companies. There’s a lot of variety in jobs and opportunities.”

Caroline Blackstone, a sophomore Concrete Industry Management (sales and production services) major from Atlanta, Georgia, said the occasion allows for plenty of “back and forth, talking to different people and seeing different perspectives.”

During a break, junior Robert Gaiser, a commercial construction major from Beckley, West Virginia, said the first of two-hour sessions “started off nervous” for him.

“Now, I’m digging more into it,” he added. “The pitch gets better. I’m not sure what’s next. It’s like a waiting game, I guess.”

Gaiser and Blackstone said they appreciate MTSU and the program offering the chance for students to meet with the companies.

MTSU has more than 240 combined undergraduate and graduate programs. Concrete and construction management are part of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.