This summer, I returned for my second year interning with Turner Construction—this time in Portland, Oregon, my hometown. My journey with Turner actually started at USC’s involvement fair and the SWE National Conference during my freshman year, where I first connected with the company. Little did I know that I’d be back in Oregon, working on a skyline-changing project.
The site I joined was a residential high-rise nearing the finish line, which meant I got to dive right into the close-out process. My main responsibility was helping manage the punch list—the checklist of final fixes before residents move in. That meant walking through units, tracking every requested touch-up, and coordinating with subcontractors to make sure the work was finished on schedule. It was like being part detective, part project manager, and part communicator all at once.
I also got to take on some unique side projects, like overseeing appliance deliveries and managing street and parking garage striping. That might sound straightforward—but not on this project. The building features custom-painted crosswalks designed to look like soccer scarves, a nod to Portland’s “Rose City ‘Til I Die” culture. Coordinating that work (plus the marketing videos tied to it) was one of the most unexpected and exciting parts of my internship.
Through these experiences, I began to really see the role a general contractor plays: keeping dozens of moving parts aligned, acting as the middle link between owners, architects, and subcontractors, and making sure the vision gets built. Just as importantly, I learned a lot about myself – how I work with others, how I keep myself motivated, and how much I value being part of a team that turns blueprints into reality.
This summer reaffirmed what I have been feeling for a while: I want to be in construction. There’s something deeply fulfilling about knowing the spaces I help create will become part of people’s everyday lives. Whether I ultimately pursue the path of superintendent or project engineer, I know my work next summer will help me carve out that direction. For now, I’m just grateful I’ve had the chance to get hands-on, learn from incredible mentors, and see my city’s skyline (and sidewalk) change in real time.
