A Louisiana native and undergraduate in Construction Engineering and Technology at Louisiana Tech University, Emily Nolasco joins Sustainable Design Solutions as an intern for the summer of 2021.
Nolasco began working out of the Shreveport office to support the Clean Water Shreveport Program in June. Her experiences have already reaffirmed this is the right career path for her.
In her first week, Nolasco supported one of the Clean Water Shreveport team members with manhole surveys and also assisted with creating the clients drawing report.
“It was exciting to apply what I learned from my plane surveying class to a real-life project for the City of Shreveport. I think gaining experience in the field and not just learning in a classroom gives you a broader perspective of the industry,” said Nolasco.
Nolasco explains she’s always been interested in the building process and what it requires, specifically the residential side of construction. Still, she didn’t always know Construction Engineering was the major she would pursue.
“I was planning on going into architecture, but realized I’m naturally more analytical and mathematical. This internship is helping to grow the confidence that this is the right path for me.”
When asked what her favorite part of the internship has been, Nolasco says it’s the people.
“Sustainable Design Solutions and the other teaming partners are a fantastic group of people to work with; they have a lot of patience with the interns and explain the projects from the beginning.”
In addition, she’s appreciated learning more about real-life problems with the country’s infrastructure, what’s being done to help, and who is involved.
Outside of academics, she enjoys dedicating her time to causes that help women. Nolasco is looking forward to building her professional network and gaining more experience to help her stand out after graduation in February 2023.