Village of Lombard Internship Program Offers Students Hands On Learning
This summer, four students are serving in the capacity as civil engineering co-ops. They include: Joseph Bonokolie, Adam Kulaga, Matt Lewallen and Kelly Lockerbie. These students are involved in a number of special projects and are learning hands-on field work that will help them gain experience and a glimpse at what a future job in this field might entail.
“Students typically assist civil engineering technicians performing inspection of construction and maintenance projects,” according to Schwab. “Projects involve asphalt and concrete paving, crack sealing, sidewalk and curb replacement, sewer televising and sewer lining. Students also distribute project construction newsletters to residents, as well as respond to requests and inquiries from the general public,” Schwab added.
About the students
• Bonokolie attends the Illinois Institute of Technology and will be in his fourth year this fall, majoring in Civil Engineering. A resident of Glen Ellyn, Bonokolie is currently evaluating road conditions and drafting documents and newsletters for various projects.
• Kulaga, a resident of Clarendon Hills, will be entering his third semester as a senior civil engineering major at Bradley University this fall. He is currently inspecting job sites, assessing pavement quality of roads through the Village and keeping residents informed about the work that is being done regarding construction that is proximate to their residence. His advice to others in this field looking for internships is “Leave no stone uncovered.”
• Lewallen attends Bradley University where he is studying construction management as a junior in the fall. A resident of Schaumburg, Lewallen is currently conducting inspections on various projects around the Village and recording data regarding the projects. His ideal job is to own his own construction firm.
• Lockerbie, a civil engineering major with a specialization in the environment, attends Iowa State University where she will be a junior this fall. Her internship projects involve pavement management, inspections, creating computer drawings related to projects and assisting in preparing a request for proposal. A resident of Elmhurst, Lockerbie added that her ideal job is one in which she can help the environment.
Other general duties that the students will be involved in this summer include performing word processing, developing spreadsheets, doing basic surveying, reproducing contract documents, organizing project files and helping administrate the Pavement Management System.
The Pavement Management System utilizes a software that takes visual data about a street (the types and levels of distresses exhibited by a pavement) and ultimately assigns a condition rating for a street segment (typically one block segment).
In addition to the Public Works Department summer help, the Community Development Department also has an intern, Jason Rogers.
Rogers, whose hometown is College Station, Texas, will be a senior at the University of Illinois, Chicago this fall. “Confidence is key,” he said when asked what advice he would give fellow students looking for an internship. Rogers is currently working in the private engineering services division of the Community Development Department where he is inspecting storm water detention systems as well as assisting the Village inspector with ensuring various contractors are constructing utility systems to Village code.
“The program is a benefit to both the student and the Village. The Village gets ‘short term' employees who can assist staff engineers and technicians during the very busy construction season, the student gets ‘hands on' experience of how a local government plans, designs and constructs infrastructure.