Cajuste is majoring in computer science.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – In this edition of our Scholar-Athlete feature, we profile Florida Tech softball player Miranda Schwartz. This summer, the Florida native is gaining valuable experience through an internship in her field of choice. We caught up with Schwartz to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
Which company will you be internning at this summer? What is your title and role within the company?
This summer I am interning with RS&H Inc. in Tampa, Florida. My title with this organization is “Water Resources Intern” and my role is to create wastewater development plans, review calculations and storm water tabs, and assist the Water Resources team with projects and more.
What attracted you to this internship and what steps did you have to take to secure a position within the company?
I am still undecided as to what area of civil engineering I want to pursue. I was attracted to this internship because it would allow me to explore the water resources side of civil engineering and see if it suits me and if I want to pursue it further. I found this internship through connecting with the team.
Jolly's [Miracle] My dad knew someone who worked at the company and passed on my resume to them, and from there I applied for the job on their website, had an interview with a recruiter over Microsoft Teams, and received the offer a week later.
What are some of the interesting jobs or projects you've had the opportunity to be a part of?
One of the projects I work on is one of the freeways in West Palm, and I was able to install drainage structures and help lay out the entire drainage system for this newly proposed freeway.
What is your major at Florida Tech? Why did you choose this major and have you always wanted to pursue this field?
I am a Civil Engineering major from Florida Institute of Technology. I discovered civil engineering in high school and initially attended the Engineering Academy just to get a certification. However, after working on bridge simulators and the structures themselves, I discovered my passion.
It wasn't something I always wanted to pursue, but when I stumbled across the field, I knew this was what I wanted to major in.
How has being a scholar-athlete helped you in the work you are doing now in your internship? What skills did you gain from your experience as a scholar-athlete that helped you in your internship?
Being a scholar-athlete helped prepare me for my internship because I work on a team, and being part of a team as a scholar-athlete translates directly into the workplace.
Communication skills were also one of the most important parts of my internship, and being a scholar-athlete has allowed me to develop my communication skills in comfortable and uncomfortable situations. It helps in comfortable situations, like with teammates and coworkers, but also in situations that are a little bit uncomfortable, like with a coach or a boss at work.
What skills did you learn during your internship that will help you get a job at Florida Tech?
I think one of the most important things is to speak up and ask questions. In your internship, if you don't keep speaking up and asking questions, you'll fall behind. I think this translates to communication with your coaches and teammates on and off the field, making it easier to communicate.
The other thing is to embrace being uncomfortable. This internship was big, new, and intimidating. Just embracing being uncomfortable has allowed me to grow and I think that's something I can apply in this field.
How will your internship prepare you for the career you want after graduation?
It's helping me get a sense of what I like and dislike about the field of civil engineering. I'm still in the early stages of my degree, just entering my third year, and I haven't decided what I want to focus on yet, but this internship is helping me figure out what it is that I really want to do.
You'll also learn valuable skills and software that you can use in your future job after graduation.
What advice would you give to other scholar-athletes or future scholar-athletes looking to follow a similar path?
First, I recommend finding an internship early so you know what you like and dislike in advance. Second, trust the process. There is a lot of training and it can be hard, but trust the process. Finally, guarantee your time. You know your worth.
Don't be put off to the side because you're new and don't know much. Ask questions, observe others, see if there's anything you can do to help. Overall, it's good for you, and show initiative to your coworkers and superiors.
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