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Beaverton School District’s Summer Internship Program provides hands-on experience

During Erin Fintel’s BRIC Architecture internship, she learned about new software programs, developed digital and physical project presentation boards, visited construction sites, volunteered at Pickathon and participated in BRIC’s project pursuit process. She also connected with design staff and college interns through one-on-one sessions.

Erin Fintel was already interested in architecture as a possible major in college, but really had only a rough idea of what it is and what architects actually do. Thanks to the Beaverton School District’s (BSD) Summer Internship Program, she was able to work for about two months at BRIC Architecture this summer learning about the profession and gaining on-the-job experience.

“I thought there was no better way to see if I’d like architecture than to work at an architecture firm. This internship is a special opportunity to get more insight into what being an architect means by watching them work and understanding the design process,” she said.

Fintel is one of 16 interns who participated in the summer internship program, which was established by a BSD bond passed in 2022. The school district offers high school students, ages 17 or older, the opportunity to explore potential career paths in architecture, engineering and construction. Four of the 16 paid positions work directly with BSD and 12 positions work with the district’s AEC partners.

In addition to real-world experience in architecture, engineering, construction and construction management, interns may also get experience in other areas such as web design, video production, communications, operations and office administration.

Amy Friendy, principal and director of operations at BRIC Architecture, said the BSD Summer Internship Program aligns with the firm’s own internal internship program. Through its Pathways Program, its goal is to support students with diverse backgrounds and aspirations as they explore different paths into architecture.

“We’re championing inclusive, student-centered opportunities that remove systemic barriers related to both academics and industry,” she said, adding this is BRIC’s second year participating in the school district’s program and the firm looks forward to hosting another intern next year.

During Fintel’s internship, which spanned from June 17 to Aug. 15, she had an opportunity to learn new software programs, develop digital and physical project presentation boards, visit construction sites, volunteer at Pickathon and participate in BRIC’s project pursuit process. She also had a chance to connect with BRIC’s design staff and college interns through informational one-on-one sessions.

“We hope students have the opportunity to learn as much as they can about architecture and all the different pathways they can take to arrive at a career in the AEC industry,” Friendy said. “We want them to see that the path to architecture doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all journey. Beyond developing new skills and meeting great people, our goal is for every intern to connect with mentors who can help them navigate school, career and life.”

Friendy noted that as much as the interns learn from their experience, BRIC’s team learns from the interns as well.

“Their sense of curiosity and willingness to try new things brings such a vibrant, infectious energy into the office. Each of our internship cohorts make meaningful contributions to our projects that last well beyond the summer. Their insights and perspectives are shaping what’s next at BRIC,” she said.

Fintel said that during weekly meetings for interns called BRIC Chats, people in different roles in the firm talked about specific topics such as project management, equity evaluations, construction administration and business development.

“This internship gave me the chance to explore different software programs like Revit and InDesign, which was really fun. I’ve also learned a lot about how architects collaborate, not only internally but with the community, clients and consultants,” she said.

Fintel’s favorite part of the internship was the people who offered to let her sit in on meetings, chatted with her about their pathway into architecture, and gave her projects to help with.

“Because of them, I’ve been able to explore architecture in meaningful ways, like spending the day at the Beaverton High School site or designing a materials board for the interior designer working on Renton High School,” she said. “BRIC also hosts college interns and I’ve been able to assist with their projects, including an indoor skatepark and Pathways Storytelling, which is a media project.”

Gauri Patibandla

Robinson Construction is another of the school district’s AEC partners that participates in the internship program, and this summer the company hosted Gauri Patibandla.
“As someone interested in pursuing engineering in college, I applied for this internship to gain real-world exposure to the construction and design process,” she said. “This summer, I’ve learned a lot about how large-scale projects come together.”

These included the Lake Oswego Middle School project, where Patibandla saw how different teams work together to bring a school renovation from concept to reality. Additionally, shadowing different professionals helped her see how many roles are involved in making a project successful, and how important teamwork and communication are on a construction site.

“This internship has confirmed my interest in engineering and has given me valuable insight into what a future career in this field could look like,” Patibandla said.
Project Manager Bryan Kenney said Robinson believes in building the next generation of construction professionals, and that starts with creating meaningful opportunities for students. These range from office-based projects to shadowing different roles and spending time on active jobsites.

“Investing in students like Gauri is one way we give back, grow the future workforce and inspire passion for this industry,” he said.

Robinson Construction hosted Gauri Patibandla this summer. One of her learning experiences took place at the Fern Hill Elementary School jobsite.
Photos courtesy of Robinson Construction.

BSD’s summer internship partners also include Anning-Johnson Co., Bassetti Architects, CIDA, DLR Group, Howard S. Wright, Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co., P&C Construction, Pence Construction and Skanska.