Blog Entries

Summer flies by quickly — especially so for our Miron interns. They have been hard at work these past few months! Before our intern bloggers head back to school, we asked each of them to catch us up on their internship experience. Last post, we heard from Bryce Boden and Clint Garris. Next up is Holly Denfeld and Travis Fleis. (In case you missed their first post, read it here.)

Holly Denfeld – Project Management Intern

What is the coolest thing you have learned this summer?

One of the coolest things I’ve experienced this summer is the reaction of our client to the spaces we’ve finished and turned over. I love sharing in their excitement as they see their school transform before their very eyes. The intrinsic value associated with this is unmatched by any other, and one of the very reasons I chose to pursue a career in construction.

What has been your favorite part of your internship?

My favorite part of this internship is that I am able to work alongside some of the crew members and learn about their trade. So far this summer, I’ve had the opportunity to drive an excavator, operate a crane, pour and finish concrete, and lay masonry block (all under strict supervision of course)! I am getting exposed to so many specialty trades, and I’m really looking forward to what I’ll do in the last few weeks of my internship!

What has been the hardest part of your internship?

As time goes on, I am getting more and more involved with the project and receiving more responsibilities. This is very exciting for me, but at the same time presents challenges. It’s becoming more critical that I receive all information and am copied in on email correspondence so that if a tradesman asks me a question, I am able to provide an effective solution. Although this is a struggle at times, I am gaining more confidence in myself and am getting better at providing effective solutions to conflicts.

Do you feel that your internship has better prepared you for the future? If so, in what ways?

ABSOLUTELY! I’ve come to find that field experience can only benefit the career of a project manager. Being on site, seeing what it takes to physically put a project together, is an invaluable experience that is worth more than one hundred years of schooling. I hate to say it, but I’ve come to find that only a small portion of what you learn in school is applicable to your future career. Although schooling teaches you the methods and the theories behind building systems, problem solving, and project management, only real world experiences can prepare you for what the real world is like!

What advice would you give other students considering a similar internship?

Do it. Just do it. Seize every opportunity you have to gain real world experience. You never know what you like or what you don’t like until you live “a day in the life.” Taking the leap into your first internship might be scary at first, but the knowledge you gain from that first experience is well worth it!

Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship experience?

On top of everything I’m learning this summer, what has been the most impactful is the people I’m working with. All of the Miron staff, from the tradespeople to office administration, have been more than willing to answer my silly questions and help me through challenging situations. I’ve built some lasting relationships with some of my co-workers, and that is what I value most about my internship experiences.

Travis Fleis – Project Management Intern

What is the coolest thing you have learned this summer?

 The coolest thing I have learned this summer is how valuable and dependable an intern can be on the job site.

What has been your favorite part of your internship?

There have been many favorite parts to this internship. My absolute favorite part of the internship is being challenged with various tasks, most of which I have never had to face. I love the location of the work. My project site is close to home and I will always be able to say I was a small part of building this massive structure. I enjoy the personnel I work with on site. We were able to find the right balance of having fun and taking care of business.

What has been the hardest part of your internship?

The hardest part of my internship has been being able visualize the construction and equipment drawings because the project features many building components that I had not been exposed to. Touring the client’s existing facility with its project engineer helped me to overcome this.

Do you feel that your internship has better prepared you for the future? If so, in what ways?

What I have learned during the summer will benefit me regardless of what I do with my career and life. There are so many things I have learned about the construction process, communication, and the people I worked with.

What advice would you give other students considering a similar internship?

The advice I would pass on to other interns is to not be afraid to ask questions to anyone. Do not be afraid to talk to anyone. Do not agree or disagree with someone because you think you should, but speak up for yourself with modesty.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship experience?

I would like to share that this experience has surpassed my expectations coming into the summer. There are so many things I have learned it would be difficult to detail a comprehensive list. Working for Miron Construction has been a great experience and I look forward to the possibility of future employment after graduation. Toby Sontag and Kevin Albrecht, along with the rest of the Miron family, have been very helpful and have pushed me to excel.

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