News  |  

Bulley & Andrews’ 2018 Summer Intern Experience

Meet Malik McMillon, a Civil Engineering student at the University of Missouri-Columbia and three-time summer intern with Bulley & Andrews (B&A). Find out what he learned and how working with B&A has provided opportunities to turn his dreams into reality.

As a child I loved seeing how buildings went from a drawing on a piece of paper to becoming a real-life structure. I would use Legos to make my own designs come to life. For the past three summers, my internship experience at B&A has allowed me to turn my childhood building dreams into reality. 

In 2016, the alumni coordinator from my high school, The University of Chicago Charter School Woodlawn Campus, reached out to me about a summer internship opportunity with B&A. I was excited to start building my experience in the construction industry and applied for the position.  

The University of Chicago Charter School’s new Woodlawn Campus

An Opportunity to Give Back

As an intern, my first learning opportunity was the new building for my alma mater. It was an awesome opportunity because it gave me a chance to not only get hands-on experience but also allowed me to give back to the community where I grew up. Making an impact by helping to construct my high school’s new building was a dream come true.  

I was taught how to handle submittals, RFIs, and become familiar with specifications on projects which are key elements to successful project management. B&A’s internship program places significant emphasis on mentorship.  Having a mentor who worked with me closely helped me understand what to expect when building my career in this industry.  

After my positive experience in 2016, I knew that I wanted to serve as an intern again in 2017 and was invited to return. This was when B&A was constructing their new office building and it was a unique opportunity to be a part of that process and their future.   

Malik joined Bulley & Andrews Interns as they volunteered with Park Lawn Charity to transform CR2’s backyard.

Leveraging Tools and Sharpening Skills

2018 has been my third summer working as an intern at B&A.  I was thrilled be assigned to support the Robert Crown Community Center, Ice Complex and Library project. Since the project is in the preconstruction phase, it gave me an opportunity to learn more in depth about estimating and budgeting, including performing take-offs. This year I was also tasked to assist with gathering and handling closeout documents and LEED documents, something I had not done before.  

Each year interning at B&A has offered me a new experience to leverage tools and sharpen skills valuable in the construction industry. I have loved working with the people at B&A and building my knowledge of the construction industry. B&A has done an extraordinary job of ensuring interns are challenged but also closely mentored to gain the most from their internship experience.  

B&A Interns Lincoln Park Zoo Tour

B&A interns tour the new Welcome Center project at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Gaining Real-World Experience

All those I’ve interacted with at B&A are always willing to help, and everyone has a passion for what they do. This atmosphere has expanded my love and knowledge of the construction industry. I am grateful to Bulley & Andrews for the opportunity to work toward my dream of being a civil engineer and gain the kind of real-world experience that I know will serve me well in the future.