Ashley Forkey, S.M.ASCE, is a senior from South Florida studying civil engineering at Tufts University. She is focused on geotechnical engineering and is also pursuing a minor in engineering management. She has gained research and internship experience in geotechnical engineering along with experience in structural engineering and computer-aided design.
Forkey has been involved in ASCE throughout her undergraduate years. She is passionate about using engineering to support resilient communities and bridging the gap between student experience and professional practice.
In her column, An Undergraduate's View, Forkey documents her experience as an ASCE student member navigating her civil engineering studies.
There is much more to a resume than just internships. And since it’s late in the internship season, it is important to consider what makes a balanced resume.
I was originally going to focus on internships: how to get one, why they are important, and what they can offer. While I do believe that internships and real-world experiences are valuable, I don’t think the process leading up to them is emphasized enough.
When I was a freshman, I applied blindly to internships that I found online. I wrote cover letters for firms I felt no connection to, thinking that if I submitted enough applications, eventually one would work out. This could not have been further from the truth. If I received any response at all, it was usually a rejection because of my lack of experience.
Although I was not surprised, I was disappointed because I was hopeful. How could anyone get an internship at my young age? How was I supposed to gain experience if every opportunity requires experience to begin with? Because of this, instead of focusing solely on how to get an internship, I want to talk about the experiences that can lead up to one.
Of course, everyone’s path is different. I’m not claiming that this process works for everyone. I can only speak from my own experience. But this is the approach that worked for me.
The question becomes: How do we start building a resume when we need an already strong one just to apply for anything?
I started with what I had access to – my school. If you are looking for summer internships in civil engineering, you are probably attending a school that offers civil engineering courses. If your school offers these courses, it probably also offers research opportunities. That seemed like a good place to begin.
Then I thought about what classes I enjoyed most and the professors whose courses I found particularly interesting. Because I liked the content more, I naturally developed stronger relationships with those professors. I reached out to them and asked about their work. Sometimes this was about their professional experience outside of teaching or the research they were conducting. Each professor had a different background and set of experiences, which made those conversations especially valuable.
If a professor mentioned research that sounded interesting to me, I asked whether there were opportunities to get involved. Eventually, I was able to work in a geotechnical laboratory running preliminary tests, which I found especially exciting when I performed them correctly. At the same time, I reached out to professors whose courses I enjoyed and did well in and asked if they needed graders or teaching assistants for the following semester or year. I expressed my interest and followed up on the emails I sent. Even if there was no opening at the time, I had at least demonstrated interest and introduced myself for future opportunities.
What makes these opportunities particularly valuable is that they often do not require a resume in the first place. When you are early in your academic career, it’s natural if your resume doesn’t yet have much on it. Reaching out directly, either in person or over email, allows you to gain experience before needing to present one.
Positions such as teaching assistant, lab assistant, research assistant, or grader often have several advantages. They are typically paid, manageable alongside coursework, and allow you to reinforce concepts you have already learned in class. At the same time, you gain practical skills, build experience for your resume, and develop stronger relationships with professors who may later provide recommendation letters or professional guidance. In many ways, some of the most valuable things you can learn from professors happen outside the classroom.
And then – voila!
You now have experiences to talk about in interviews and include on your resume!
Of course, I would also recommend getting involved in student organizations such as ASCE or Engineers Without Borders, or EWB. These groups provide opportunities for leadership, teamwork, and project experience that are valuable both on a resume and in interviews. A combination of academic involvement, research or lab work, teaching support roles, and student organizations can create a meaningful and well-rounded introductory resume without your ever having held an internship.
Once you begin applying for internships, you’ve already demonstrated your interest and engagement in civil engineering. In my opinion, the most important internship to pursue is the one during the summer before your senior year of college. If you don’t get an internship after your freshman year, don’t stress. If you do, that’s great. If you want to avoid blindly submitting applications into the abyss, my suggestion would be to first look for lab or research opportunities.
Another helpful approach is looking at the LinkedIn profiles of your professors. Those who have worked in industry may have recent professional experience that could be helpful to learn about. Maybe they enjoy their company and would be happy to share insights about working there. Maybe they’ve had a negative experience, which could be just as useful to know. They might be willing to serve as a reference, or they might know of firms that are hiring. You never really know until you ask.
So, if you want my advice on how to curate a resume that shows interest and experience in civil engineering without having had an internship yet, it would be to –
- Start with the opportunities available at your school, such as research labs or teaching support roles.
- Reach out to professors whose classes interest you and ask about ways to get involved.
- Look for positions such as lab assistant, research assistant, grader, or teaching assistant to gain experience and strengthen relationships with faculty.
- Get involved in student organizations like ASCE or EWB to develop leadership and teamwork experience.
- Use these experiences to build a resume that demonstrates curiosity, initiative, and engagement with civil engineering.
Hopefully this helps someone who’s starting out, because it is the kind of advice I wish had been more publicly available when I was trying to figure out where to begin.
Good luck :)
