Meet the Interns: Western Region

Throughout this summer, we’ve been introducing some of our talented interns who are gaining real-world experience across Schnabel. We’ve met students from our Eastern and Central regions, and now we’re heading West for the final feature in our series. From dams and hydraulics to fish hatcheries and geotechnical engineering, these students are expanding their skills, exploring different areas of engineering, and gaining valuable insight into their future careers.

Ellen Hallingstad: Seattle, Washington

Ellen Hallingstad is spending her first summer with Schnabel in our Seattle office. A civil engineering student at the University of Washington, Ellen has lived in Washington, the United Kingdom, and Oregon before returning to Seattle a few years ago.

She was drawn to Schnabel because of the opportunity to explore both geotechnical engineering and hydraulics/hydrology—two disciplines that play an important role in dam engineering and water management. “Dams are cool, and pretty significant to energy production and water management in Washington!” Ellen said.

This summer, Ellen is enjoying opportunities to step outside the classroom and see how engineering solutions come together in the field. “I’m excited to get out in the field and see as many different types of projects as I can,” she said. “And to learn from everyone, both in my office and across Schnabel.” While she’s still deciding which engineering path she’d like to pursue, she’s especially interested in geotechnical engineering and hydraulics/hydrology.

Fun Fact: Ellen also holds a bachelor’s degree in archaeology.

Jake Tomasko: Longmont, Colorado

Jake Tomasko is completing his first internship with Schnabel in our Longmont office. Jake is studying geological engineering at Colorado School of Mines and grew up in Longmont, Colorado.

Jake was interested in Schnabel’s internship program because it offered exposure to a wide range of engineering challenges and opportunities to explore different career paths.
“I was attracted to Schnabel’s internship because of the diversity of the projects the company works with. This diversity has been helping me decide what exactly I want to do with my future,” Jake said.

Throughout the summer, Jake has been focused on learning what a career in engineering looks like, with a particular interest in understanding the complexity of dam projects and the many disciplines involved in delivering them.

Milana Flores: Helena, Montana

Milana Flores is interning in our Helena office. She is pursuing a degree in civil engineering at Montana State University and is originally from Puyallup, Washington.

Although her interest was piqued by the hydraulic engineering work happening in Helena, it was Schnabel’s culture that influenced her decision to apply. “It’s been a great opportunity to experience a collaborative and communicative work culture,” she said.

One of Milana’s favorite parts of the summer has been seeing the connection between engineering design and construction firsthand. “I have been the most excited to be able to visit construction sites and realize the physical products of what our team is working towards,” she shared. In addition to continuing to learn about hydraulic engineering, she’s also interested in exploring bridge construction.

Nick Vargo: Boise, Idaho

Nick Vargo is spending the summer in our Boise office. Originally from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Nicholas is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama.
Conversations with the Boise team helped Nick see that Schnabel would provide an internship experience focused on growth, mentorship, and meaningful work. “After having a few conversations with the engineers in Boise, I could tell they truly want to make every internship a meaningful experience,” he said.

Through his internship, Nick has enjoyed applying what he’s learned in the classroom to real engineering projects. “Going beyond lectures and diving into projects has already been so valuable in my internship so far, and I can’t wait to continue,” he said.

While he has long been interested in motorsports engineering, his internship has introduced him to a new area of interest. “Since starting my internship at Schnabel, I have grown very interested in the fish hatchery projects. Not only getting to work directly on design but also getting out to a site and seeing a project come to life, Schnabel has opened my eyes to a unique discipline of engineering I hadn’t explored before.”

Nick loves cheesesteaks and keeps an active ranking of every cheesesteak he’s tried throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

As we wrap up our three-part regional intern spotlight series, we’re excited to continue sharing the stories of our interns throughout the rest of the summer. Stay tuned as we continue showcasing the talented students who are making an impact across Schnabel.