A Day in the Life of a B&A Intern: 2023 Edition, Part 1

Meet Selah Ashby

When Selah Ashby started her internship at Bulley & Andrews (B&A), she wondered how she could apply her human resources (HR) education to a construction company’s operations. Beyond assisting with HR projects, such as employee record audits, Selah seized the opportunity to visit job sites to gain a better understanding of the construction process as well as help coordinate B&A events. 

Before she headed back to Purdue University for her junior year, Selah shared some insight about the depth of her experience with B&A.

What is your favorite memory interning at B&A?
Attending the S&C Electric site visit with Greg Marquez, vice president of Safety & Risk Management, and fellow intern Ekaterina Bystrova. B&A was constructing S&C’s new cafeteria. The company’s chef shared how grateful and excited he was to B&A and for his new space. It was rewarding to see the personal effects of our work.

What was your favorite project to assist with and why?
Event planning for the interns’ annual cookout. I got to work with a number of people from the administrative team. It was fun to see the B&A community come together and enjoy the summer weather on the company’s rooftop. I also enjoyed helping audit employee insurance information to ensure our records are up-to-date, as well as compiling reports for executive leadership on the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion participation and recruitment sources.

How has your participation in social service projects during your internship inspired you to give back?
The service projects at B&A remind me how even a small group of people can make a big difference. We packed 291 meals for those in the city’s northside community at Nourishing Hope during one of our events. I realized that it isn’t difficult to give back to the community, you just have to prioritize it.

What are some challenges you had to overcome while interning?
Starting a month later than the other interns, I had to learn more about the company on my own rather than as part of a larger group.

After interning with B&A, has your ”dream job” changed?
My internship made me realize how much I enjoy auditing information and analyzing and presenting data. So, I see HR analytics playing a large role in my future career.

What is your #1 takeaway from this experience?
It’s important to remember names and small facts about people you meet. It can make a big difference in forging connections and earning credibility.

Meet Alex Kelley

When Alex Kelley was younger, he aspired to “build roller coasters on the moon.” This childhood dream propelled him to study mechanical engineering and led him to his internship with Bulley & Andrews Concrete Restoration (BACR). While a broken foot he sustained while playing basketball limited Alex’s ability to go on job site visits this summer, he was still determined to make the most of his time at B&A.

Set to graduate from Purdue University in spring 2025, will Alex achieve his dream of building galactic amusement parks? Read further to find out. 

How did you find out about B&A’s internship experience?

My dad and his friends play basketball every Thursday. Once, when they were low on players, a mutual friend reached out to see if Jim Schmieder (who will beat you in one-on-one any day) could fill in. After their game, Jim, a project manager, mentioned to my dad what he does at B&A. My dad, knowing my interest in this field, connected the two of us so I could learn more. Jim also connected me with his previous intern, Ethan Oles. After our conversations, I was very interested in B&A and the rest was history. Thanks again, Jim and Ethan!

What did you most enjoy about B&A’s culture (un-related to your assignments)?

B&A social gatherings are a part of the culture I enjoyed the most. I had lots of great conversations with coworkers from around the office during our lunch-and-learns and company barbeques.

What surprised you most about B&A’s internship program?

The diversity of all the interns’ majors. It was cool to be around people with different experiences and learn from what they have to offer.

Describe how you were mentored during your internship.

Some days I think I asked hundreds of questions, but my mentors were generous with their time and always patient with their answers.

Who was most influential to your B&A internship and why?

James Masterfield, the project manager I worked with the most, was most influential. He went above and beyond so that I could have the best, most productive internship possible. Thanks, James.

Describe how you interacted with the directors and executive team at B&A?

My desk was on the same floor as the executives, so I interacted with them a lot. They always said hello, and when I broke my foot, they would often stop by my desk to see how I was doing.

What is your #1 takeaway from this experience?

Sometimes, the best way to get work done is to take the time to get to know the people who you are working with.

After interning with B&A, has your ”dream job” changed?

I will still design roller coasters on the moon. Mark my words!

Meet Tiegan Witte

Before she was an architecture major, Tiegan Witte had dreams of creating new concoctions in the kitchen and become a food scientist. Though she’s traded in her aspirational chef’s hat for a hard hat, Tiegan was able to live out her childhood culinary dreams by helping make the B&A intern cookout a success.

Prior to returning to Miami University to start her senior year, Tiegan reflected on what it was like as an intern for Bulley & Andrews Residential + Restoration (R+R).

What did you most enjoy about B&A’s culture (un-related to your assignments)?

The site visits! They helped me learn a lot about the process and phases of construction, as well as what projects B&A is involved with. They were also a great way to get to know new people at the company.

What is your favorite memory interning at B&A?

My favorite memory was the setup for the intern-hosted cookout. Getting the food ready and ensuring the event ran smoothly was a great team-building experience for the intern class. It gave us a lot of time to get to know each other better, both before and during the event.

Why did you want to intern with B&A?

Something I found really interesting about B&A is the variety of work we do. Even within individual departments, the projects can be very different, in both size and scope and require many different skill sets to complete.

What new skill/concept did you learn while interning?

Before working at B&A, I only knew the basics about construction. The experience I’ve gained through working on my project with the residential team as well as the trainings has been incredibly valuable to my learning experience. What I have learned throughout this internship is knowledge that I will carry with me through my academic career and out into the professional world.

What are some challenges you have had to overcome while interning?

I had to overcome a bit of anxiety about meeting people and putting myself out there to get to know other interns and employees. This is my first internship, so the balance between being friendly and professional was an interesting situation to navigate.

What is your #1 takeaway from this experience?

The vast understanding I’ve gained about the construction industry. Having the opportunity to work on a residential project, participate in trainings, and visit jobsites has expanded my knowledge of the sequence of construction and the role architects play after the design process.

What three words would you use to describe your intern experience?

Educational, social and unique. Every day I was doing and learning something different, and I always had the chance to converse with people both on and off my team.