Morgan Hall, a first-year intern on Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District (CID) Residence Hall, strives to be a superintendent in the future. She is currently studying at the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech.
Hall knew she was interested in a career in construction ever since she was little. Her dad worked in residential construction and often let Morgan come along and “help” him with miscellaneous tasks. Helping him out really made her fond of the construction industry.
She spent her summer after graduating high school interning at a local general contractor, where she quickly fell in love with working outside. Through that internship, Morgan got a lot of hands on experience and got to see what our trade partners and laborers do day in and day out.
“Since day one I’ve loved being able to interact with all the trade partners on the job,” said Morgan.
After her internship, Morgan started classes at Virginia Tech, where she continued to develop a love for construction.
“Getting hands on experience really helped me when school started,” said Morgan. “I had a better understanding of what my professors were saying. It helped that I had seen what they were talking about in real life.”
This is Morgan’s fourth internship. The experience she has gained each summer has helped prepare her to take on new roles and responsibilities.
“I have learned a lot at each place I have worked. Everyone does things a little differently, so it is nice to get a variety of experiences while also building up my professional network,” she said.
The role of a Project Superintendent has always seemed like a natural fit for Morgan. After her first summer working on the jobsite, Morgan knew that being outside in the field was her goal.
This summer, Morgan’s role on the VT CID project has given her a new experience of working on a project that is getting close to completion. With such a big project, Morgan has been fortunate enough to spend time with many different WMJ team members. She has spent a lot of time with Project Superintendents Jason Kovac and Roy Bryan. One of the biggest things Jason has taught Morgan is to be sure to document or record everything you do in a day. He has also shown her the importance of having a strong relationship with your project’s trade partners. “Construction is like life. Treat people the way you want to be treated and you will be successful,” said Morgan.
Given that her jobsite is nearing completion, Morgan has been helping work through many of the job’s close out list items, which is a new experience but one she has grown to love.
“Working on the close out list has really given me a chance to get to know the building. CID is massive so it helps me get to know my way around. Also, it has helped me realize paying attention to little details is key when working to turn a building over to the owner.”
We look forward to seeing Morgan continue to develop her construction skills this summer. Stay tuned for more intern updates from WMJ!
