July 8, 2022
After two years of cancelled and virtual plans, Kittelson finally brought back the in-person Intern Jamboree to Orlando, Florida from June 21st to 23rd! The group came together for the first time in Kittelson’s second-largest office to establish connections with professional networks and other interns and continue growing and learning as transportation professionals.
Back Row: Joe Toole, Jady Chen, Michael O'Key, Walid Masjidi, Mohammad Mansour, Luke Morin, Sid Sivakumar, Franklin Pandoy, Russ Doubleday, and Alek Pochowski; Front Row: Nishita Kandikuppa, Bailey Homan, Azeez Lawal, Hayleigh Coppenger, Matt Steele, David Taglieri, Dennis Delmast, Amaya Lim, Sree Gudimella, Erika Ruiz, and Lauren Hunt
During the Jamboree’s Q&A with Kittelson CEO Brandon Nevers, he was asked about the impact one can make in the transportation industry. Brandon told the interns that creating relationships and continuously learning will take you further than what an individual can do on their own. Strong relationships and stronger connections create professionals who have the potential to greatly impact the communities around them.
This resonated with the interns as wisdom they can carry back to work, college, and beyond.
A defining memory for Luke Morin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kittelson Portland, was the Orlando Walking Tour. While a half day of walking in the middle of summer to talk about urban planning and landscape architecture might not seem ideal to most people, for the interns it was a valuable experience. “It was the only tour of a city I’ve participated in where the tourists (i.e., Kittelson Interns) were more interested in road cross sections than the best bars and restaurants,” said Luke.
"The Jamboree"¦ felt like an entire semester of my capstone course condensed into one day - in the best way possible. I was challenged to think in ways I normally don't, and I think that is invaluable."
- Jady Chen, University of Central Florida, Kittelson Orlando
At its core, the Jamboree was remarkable because of the people who attended and the connections that were formed. The interns, who came from all across the United States, spent a week sharing new experiences and bonding with each other, as well as creating professional networks through meet and greets with Kittelson plangineers (planners + engineers), and participating in a variety of fun activities throughout the week. Nishita Kandikuppa, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Kittelson DC, only had one thing to say about the trip: “we went in as fellow interns; we came out as a family!”
Michael O'Key, Sree Gudimella, Bailey Homan, and Matt Steele working on a project together.
Nishita Kandikuppa, Azeez Lawal, Hayleigh Coppenger, Franklin Pandoy, and Sid Sivakumar presenting their project.
"The biggest takeaway from the week was how much of a service this intern program is to our profession. I'm positive my fellow interns will hold positions of leadership within Kittelson, and across the industry - these folks seriously galvanize optimism!"
- Matt Steele, Montana State University, Kittelson Boise
The intern class of 2022 is a group of smart, sociable, and passionate individuals who generated a positive group dynamic and wonderful dialogue at the Jamboree. “The Jamboree really exposed me to a diverse way of thinking about the world of transportation and planning,” Franklin Pandoy, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Kittelson Orange, said.
And of course, what makes the Intern Jamboree meaningful are the people involved. It was the hard work of our Intern Jamboree coordinators-Russ Doubleday, Lauren Hunt, Alek Pochowski, and Joe Toole-as well as all the staff who participated and made this event a success.
About the Internship Program
Kittelson’s internship program takes place every summer; it is a vital part of our culture and feeds our value of giving back to the profession. We look for graduate and undergraduate students with open minds, a passion to learn about the transportation profession, the ability to think critically and solve complex problems, and a drive to move the industry forward. We will soon be accepting applications for next year’s internships; if you are interested, we invite you to learn more about the program here.
