Every year, Davids Engineering welcomes a group of college students to work alongside our team members on various projects. This provides the students with hands on experience and provides DE support and fresh ideas. We want to take some time to highlight this year’s interns.
Penny Hall is a business information systems student at California State University, Chico. She is interning under DE’s Senior Project Manager and helping integrate a project management system that will assist DE in assessing the capacity of team members on various projects and maximizing their time and talents for each client.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I grew up in the Bay Area and I am currently a senior at Chico State. I look forward to studying abroad in Spain next fall as I wrap up my undergraduate studies. My major is business information systems, and I have enjoyed learning about how the intersection of business and technology can benefit organizations. I am currently the Vice President of the Business Information Systems Society and a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and camping.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS?
I do not have a concrete role or company in mind, but I am really interested in project management. I love bridging the gap between an idea and implementation. I hope to be in a career where I can lend my expertise and also continue to learn every day. I appreciate being in a technical setting with engineers and other hard sciences.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO INTERN AT DE?
I took a California Water class and enjoyed learning how the California water system can be improved. Before I joined DE I reviewed several of their projects and was impressed by how much of an impact the firm has on the community. One thing that stood out is that most of their business is from word-of-mouth and repeat customers, which demonstrates their commitment to providing value and great service. The internship offers me an opportunity to learn and deploy new skills that will help me in my career.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH/LEARN AS AN INTERN?
I am excited to develop a deeper level of confidence in Jira, but also other skills and traits that support effective project management outcomes overall; for example, effective listening, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and attention to detail. By the time my internship is over, I hope DE’s implementation structures are more efficient, utilize the right resources, and provide value to the company.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO GET UP AND GO TO SCHOOL/WORK?
What motivates me to get up each day is having a sense of purpose. I like knowing that I can work towards something meaningful. I enjoy learning new things and keeping goals for myself that help me grow. At the end of each day, what matters most to me is the feeling that I contributed positively. The sense of progress and impact of my actions is what keeps me motivated.
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Growing up, my parents always instilled in me how important community is, and that the way to build community is to treat people the way you want to be treated. I try to remember how important it is to seek out the perspectives of others to broaden my understanding and empathy.
