This week was a special one for Mark Ulrick. We started our internship/mentor program with Mastery charter! We decided to take one student from the school and show him what engineering is like firsthand. I personally look forward to opportunities like these because not only do I have fun with the youth, but I also enjoy helping the youth as much as I can. I take a very personal interest in this because I would not be where I am without the help of people that have been in my shoes before. People like my father, brother, and coaches paved the way for me to be successful now.

Encouraging students through first hand learning is very important in my opinion. Instead of just showing up to a school and talking to students about what you do, you’re able to physically show them what it takes to perform successfully in this field. A necessity that many high school students overlook is professionalism. Dressing properly, greeting properly, and communicating properly is very important. I know when I was in high school I could have cared less about these aspects. However, the earlier you start practicing these necessities the sooner it will become second nature to you when it’s your turn to be a leader.

This program also gives kids an opportunity to see if what they are doing at the internship is something they could see themselves doing when they are finished school. Gaining knowledge of a foreign field and learning new skills is always a good thing. The internees could also use this as an opportunity to get a “foot in the door” for future options down the road. I told Nasir (our internee) “School is really preparing you for the real world. The same way you have to meet deadlines for your for homework, projects and presentations is the same way we have to meet deadlines for RFP’s and project dates. For instance, if we have 90 percent of our DD (design documents) due on a certain date then we have to meet that deadline because there is a whole team of architects and engineers depending on our progress.”

One of MUEI’s slogans is “The Professional Team that Cares.” I feel we live up to this quote every day. Whether we are paying attention to detail on a project or helping young men and women prepare for the future, we care! Quality service to our customers and our community is what we pride ourselves on. As Mark Ulrick grows, we will continue strive for excellence and lift up our community.