Carlson Interns With U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Junior Emma Carlson of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team has been a key part of the Pioneers success on the court over the past couple seasons. This summer, Carlson has joined a much larger team as an intern with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Carlson's internship saw her travel to Mobile, Alabama to serve as a Student Engineer and Administrative Support Clerk for the Corps. Currently, the Corps has approximately 37,000 soldiers and civilians delivering engineering services in more than 130 countries worldwide.

The internship allowed the mechanical engineering major to gain valuable experience that she can bring back to the classroom at UW-Platteville as well as on the court for the Pioneers volleyball team this fall. A recent campaign plan introduced by the Corps stresses the idea of "one disciplined team – in thought, word, and action", which is something the Pioneer volleyball program strives to achieve.

Carlson shared some of her experiences with the Army Corps below:

What have you done at your internship so far?

I worked on designing plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection systems for several different projects as well as conducted research and financial reports.

How did you hear about the internship and what was the hiring process like?

I have a family member that works for the same company, and he told me about the internship openings that were available this summer. The hiring process was very professional and easy to navigate. I set up an interview and discussed the internship, and then they called me a couple days later to tell me that I got the job!

What skills have you learned that will translate to your career goals?

One of the main things I learned during this internship is how to professionally communicate with other people in my field. I learned how to collaborate on projects to come up with solutions that incorporate ideas from all parties involved.

What can you take from this internship to carry over into your athletic career at UW-Platteville?

One thing I will use during my athletic career will be creative problem solving. Throughout this internship, I was tasked with many projects that I didn't have much experience in. I had to come up with creative solutions that taught me more about the project, as well as how to approach a solution.

Have you enjoyed the internship so far?

I've enjoyed learning about different software, techniques, and general information that I would not have gained exposure to if it were not for this internship. I've gotten to work under professional engineers that have taught me things that I would not be able to learn in a classroom setting.