Behind the Scenes at PennTerra Engineering: Meet the 2024 Summer Interns Exploring Their Career Options
State College, PA - This summer, PennTerra Engineering (PTE) hosted three interns pursuing their Civil Engineering degrees: Ryan McNutt, a rising junior at Pennsylvania State University, Bryce Byers, a rising senior at Pennsylvania State University, and Mason Gearhart, a rising senior at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.
“Ryan, Bryce, and Mason each possess the enthusiasm and eagerness to learn that we look for in our interns – and future team members,” said John Sepp, P.E., President of PennTerra Engineering. “This summer, we watched them expand their skill set and are excited to see how their experiences here will shape their future careers.”
After joining the team in May, McNutt, Byers, and Gearhart began the orientation process. First, they visited each of PTE’s five departments to learn about each department’s responsibilities and how they interact. Then, they began their department-specific onboarding curriculum. Afterwards, they began to receive their own assignments and projects.
As interns, these students gain valuable insights into a possible career path, experience an employee-ownership team culture, and actively contribute to current projects that PTE is working on in our community.
Ryan McNutt, Administrative Intern
Hailing from Corning, New York, McNutt is a student-athlete at Penn State, swimming and pursuing his Civil Engineering degree.
“I picked civil engineering because it allows me to create tangible products that benefit the community,” McNutt explained.
While visiting municipal and client offices, McNutt saw multiple PennTerra projects that were completed, recently gained occupancy, and under construction in the community. The impact of his new team was visible.
Working within the Administrative Department, McNutt’s responsibilities included organizing and consolidating files to increase efficiency, as well as submitting land development plan packages to various municipalities and authorities.
“My first week was fantastic,” recalled McNutt. “Within the first couple of weeks, I was able to shadow most of my colleagues in order to understand how each section of the company operates. I learned more than I could have imagined, and everyone was incredibly welcoming. The culture at PennTerra is friendly, easy going, and ambitious. There are also always new ideas incorporated into the work environment to facilitate the most productive and welcoming environment possible.”
Looking ahead, McNutt is hopeful that he can return to PennTerra next year for an internship in the Design Department to learn more about AutoCAD Civil 3D. His future goals include passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam within the next five years and becoming a professional engineer within ten years.
“I want to see a diverse range of projects and clientele, and ultimately, become a licensed professional engineer,” he shared. “Being around people with similar career ambitions and learning about the different processes within land development has been invaluable. It has helped me narrow in on exactly what type of career I want to pursue.”
“Ryan’s dedication and enthusiasm shined bright all summer,” noted Irene Wetzel, Director of Business Development. “He made significant progress on the projects he undertook, which will benefit the team for years to come. He also went above and beyond, using his lunch break to watch CAD video tutorials and other relevant land development videos. His curiosity and work ethic will serve him and his future teams well.”
Bryce Byers, Environmental Intern
Bryce Byers, from Tionesta, Pennsylvania, has been interested in engineering since high school, where he participated in a STEM robotics class. His early interest in math, the outdoors, and environmental engineering led him to pursue a Civil Engineering degree at Penn State, with a minor in Watershed Water Resources.
“I’ve always been interested in water and environmental issues,” noted Byers. “Once I started my major, I realized how broad civil engineering is.”
After seeing a presentation by PennTerra at a Penn State American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) club, Byers’ interest in an internship was piqued.
“I knew it was the right fit for me,” Byers remembered. “I learned about PennTerra’s work in land development, the water and environmental tie-ins, that the office is located in State College, and that the employees had similar interests. I thought the culture and people would be something that I would like.”
During the school year, Byers enjoys being active on campus and attending ASCE meetings; in high school, he was also very active, playing baseball, basketball, and roller hockey. At PennTerra, Byers participated in numerous employee events: Employee-Ownership Quiz Bowl, summer Cidery outing, Silt Sox softball team, and monthly CAD trainings. He also sat-in on weekly team meetings and a monthly Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) & Benefits Committee meeting.
“The office is laid-back, but still professional because people talk, joke, and do things outside of work together,” noted Byers. “I think that definitely makes work better. And I like the set-up of the office with all the desks having access to natural light. It’s a good set-up for success.”
As an Environmental Department intern, Byers visited project sites to see erosion and sedimentation control techniques in person. He also visited sites during and after rain events to witness how water was conveyed to basins and how the basins captured the water. These real-life experiences gave Byers more context as he worked on current projects in AutoCAD Civil 3D and helped with reports for county conservation districts and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
“The team is great and very knowledgeable,” stated Byers. “Everyone is willing to help and teach.”
In the long term, Bryce aims to graduate with a civil engineering degree and continue developing his career. He hopes to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and eventually move into a leadership position within the field.
“I want to gain as much experience as possible and see where it leads me,” he says.
“Bryce was a great addition to the team this summer,” said Wetzel. “As a result of new state regulations, his department had a special project this summer; Bryce was able take the lead in organizing the project’s core information. Bryce’s affability and commitment to learning will take him – and the teams he chooses to join – far.”
Mason Gearhart, Design Intern
Mason Gearhart, a rising senior at the Pennsylvania College of Technology and a McVeytown, Pennsylvania native, has always been drawn to construction, infrastructure, and land development.
“I want to play a part in the progress of our country’s infrastructure,” explained Gearhart. “I know I can do that through land development, working on subdivisions and other projects.”
After learning about PennTerra, Gearhart researched the company.
“I was immediately drawn to work here,” recalled Gearhart. “The workplace environment looked to be somewhere I could fit in perfectly and I already knew that land development was my calling. On my first day, I was invited to ‘Moe’s Mondays’ for lunch with some of the guys and have gone with them every week since then!”
Within the Design Department, Gearhart worked on multiple projects. He also had the opportunity to visit several completed projects and projects under construction.
“One of the tasks I worked on was calculating the number of parking spots needed, according to the code, for a proposed project,” Gearhart explained. “I also set-up the site plan and grading plan sheets for a subdivision, so that they were ready for the designer to start working on the project.”
The collaborative nature of PennTerra’s team was a constant throughout the internship.
“PennTerra has a major focus on its employees,” Gearhart reflected. “I have always believed that a company is only as good and productive as its employees, so it is important to take care of them, making them want to work hard and work to always do their best. PennTerra does just that with fun activities for everyone and weekly meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page, ready to tackle the week. The culture is many things: flexible, motivating, supportive, engaging, and fun.”
Gearhart’s future goals include working hard, learning as much as he can, and growing into a leadership position – such as a Project Manager.
“I want to become a valuable asset to my team,” he shared. “By cross-training, I’ll have a broader understanding of overall processes.”
“Mason was a memorable member of our team this summer,” reflected Wetzel. “He became our fifth Mifflin County team member and immediately got to work meeting his new co-workers. Mason’s ability to approach team members on a personal and professional level will help him rapidly assimilate into any future environment he chooses.”
To learn more about PennTerra’s employee-owned team of land development experts, who have been shaping our community since 1976, please visit PennTerra.com.
