Author Bio: My name is Sydnee Ehorn, and I am a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering. I am from Benton, Arkansas and have loved my time at the University of Arkansas so far. I am the kind of person who always likes a challenge and is looking for ways to learn and improve my work. Although engineering sounded like the perfect field for my interests and passions, I was eager to get a taste of a real work environment to help shape my goals concerning the future. 

I was blessed this summer with the opportunity to be an intern at Garver, an engineering consulting firm with offices across the country. I was a member of the Fayetteville Water Design Center, a branch of the company that works with the construction and improvements of wastewater treatment plants. I was placed on the Process Team, which deals with biological treatment modeling in the earlier stages of a project. Although I was the youngest member of the team, my fellow employees and mentors worked with my current skillset and gave me countless opportunities to learn and be challenged.   What I admire most about Garver is how it values all of its employees and strives for everyone to support, learn from, and connect with one another. I was not just a part of an office; I was a part of a family filled with passionate and hard-working members. Everyone wanted me to absorb as much information and experience from as many situations as I could, answering all of my questions and assigning me a variety of tasks so I learned something new and exciting every day. I was given duties that were impactful in projects and in my journey of career exploration. I learned how well-rounded an engineer must be from the tasks I performed, from writing reports on equipment to designing process flow diagrams for facilities.   I am especially grateful to have had the opportunity to come to work in person and be surrounded by people able to support and encourage me. Microsoft Teams was utilized for meetings, webinars, and calls inside and outside of the office to maintain social distancing. We were all cautious but still intentional about establishing strong communication throughout the company.

The Garver Launch Program for interns emphasized community and encouraged daily conversations between interns across the country, giving us the opportunity meet even more people in this time of caution for COVID-19. Every other week, we all gathered for a “Lunch & Learn,” where we were able to spend time (socially distanced) with the other interns in our building and listen to a guest speaker via videochat.  I was given a rich taste of the world of engineering, and I can say confidently I would enjoy continuing my work at Garver, as I loved the topics we worked with, the impact we make in communities, and the environment of a consulting firm. It also gave me the opportunity to see how the distinct coursework I have completed applies to a real career, and I am eager to learn more and see where my journey as a chemical engineer takes me.