Celebrating Our 2026 Summer Interns on National Intern Day
In Their Own Words: Real Projects, Real Growth
Every year, National Intern Day gives us an opportunity to recognize the students who spend their summers learning, growing, and making meaningful contributions to our team. At Palmer Engineering, internships are about much more than checking a box for college credit—they're about preparing the next generation of professionals through real-world experience, mentorship, and hands-on learning.
Photo: Isabelle Madden got to experience bridge inspection firsthand during an inspection at the Cairo Ohio River Bridge.
This summer, we were fortunate to welcome interns from Tennessee Tech University, University of Kentucky, University of Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, Virginia Tech, Marshall University, and Lexington Catholic High School. Throughout the season, they worked alongside our team on real projects—from surveying and bridge inspections to roadway design, transportation engineering, field work, and CAD exhibits—experiencing firsthand what it's like to be part of a collaborative engineering team.
While the classroom provides the foundation, an internship brings learning to life. Students have the opportunity to apply what they've learned in class to real projects while gaining exposure to the day-to-day work of consulting professionals. Just as importantly, they develop communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills that can't always be taught in a lecture hall. An internship also helps students discover what aspects of the profession excite them most, providing valuable direction as they prepare for their future careers.
One of Harper Monohan's favorite experiences this summer was contributing to the Mountain Parkway Expansion Project. He credited Chelsea DeWitt, PE, with finding a way for him to be part of one of Palmer Engineering's largest projects.
The People Make the Difference
Regardless of office location or discipline, one thing nearly every intern mentioned was the people who invested in their success.
Brayden Davidson said everyone in Palmer Engineering's Nashville office made him feel welcome, describing his coworkers as "very kind and helpful" and adding, "I couldn't have asked for better people to be working around."
That sense of support wasn't unique to one office. Luke Bertsch shared a similar experience in Northern Kentucky, saying the entire office was welcoming, positive, and always willing to help him learn something new.
Several interns also pointed to mentors who made a lasting impact on their experience. Tyler Wilkerson said Logan Sallee, PE helped build his confidence by giving him the opportunity to work on real bridge projects and inspections.
Isabelle Madden appreciated Aaron Thomas, PE for his patience as she learned throughout the summer. Leah Wills highlighted Andrew Brown, PE for taking the time to explain concepts, answer questions, and provide guidance on every project. Blake Hall credited Kelly Whittington, Clay Lyons, and Steve Workman for teaching him new skills and helping him learn more about the surveying profession. Josh Brubaker credited Matt Johnson, PE and Trent Steffen, PE for their continued support and willingness to answer his questions, and Caelan Alford thanked Clay Holt for helping him troubleshoot challenges while keeping the office atmosphere fun and engaging.
Learning by Doing
From bridge inspections and surveying to transportation studies and roadway design, this year's interns weren't just observing—they were actively contributing.
Intern Leah Wills (left) and Sydney King (right) from Palmer’s Northern Kentucky Office helped to conduct a field inventory along US 231 in Bowling Green, Ky as part of a Highway Safety Improvement Project. The team used GIS units to collect existing features along the roadway and identified potential improvement options.
Topher Monroe, a student at Lexington Catholic High School, assisted with surveying and bridge projects throughout the summer and served as a visual observer for one of Palmer Engineering's drone pilots during aerial project documentation.
Reflecting on his experience, Topher shared, “My favorite part of working this summer was being out in the field helping with surveying and bridges. One thing I've learned is how much goes into each project that many people don't see, and I am glad to have been able to help with that work."
Photo: Topher (left) and Hunter Evans (right), a GIS Analyst at Palmer’s Winchester Office in the field getting drone footage of a project in Boone County, KY.
Bridge engineering proved to be one of the highlights of the summer for several interns. Tyler Wilkerson (pictured right) spent much of the summer performing bridge inspections, including work on the Glover Cary Bridge in Owensboro, Kentucky while Josh Brubaker gained valuable experience with bridge inspections and bridge load ratings.
Brayden Davidson said one of his biggest takeaways was realizing that "bridges are way more complex than I had ever thought."
Others explored different aspects of engineering. Harper Monohan completed intersection evaluations for a transportation study and later attended a Lexington City Government meeting where those intersections were discussed. Christian Beazel enjoyed working through the complete roadway design process while mixing in field work. Blake Hall gained hands-on field experience using survey equipment, collecting bridge and drainage data, performing stakeout work, and completing topographic surveys alongside Palmer Engineering's survey team.
Caelan Alford created CAD exhibits showcasing different photometric lighting plans, and Luke Bertsch developed valuable skills using OpenRoads and Excel while balancing office work with field experience. Isabelle Madden was especially proud of seeing the concepts she'd learned in the classroom come to life on real engineering projects.
Together, these experiences gave each intern a deeper understanding of the engineering profession while allowing them to make meaningful contributions to projects that improve the communities we serve. Although each internship experience was unique, one message appeared again and again: Palmer interns are given the opportunity to do meaningful work.
Whether contributing to the Mountain Parkway Expansion, attending public meetings, inspecting bridges, assisting with surveying, creating CAD exhibits, supporting drone operations, or learning alongside experienced engineers and surveyors, interns consistently described opportunities to participate—not simply observe. Those experiences helped them build confidence, discover new interests, and better understand what a career in engineering can offer.
Christian Beazel, an intern in Palmer’s Northern Kentucky Office said he enjoyed both the office environment and being able to work through the complete roadway design process while mixing in field work.
Recommending Palmer to Other Students
When asked whether they would recommend a Palmer Engineering internship, the answer was a resounding yes.
Brayden described Palmer's employees as "super encouraging and really want to see you thrive."
Harper appreciated the firm's unique combination of a close-knit culture and opportunities to contribute to large, impactful projects. Tyler said his internship gave him the chance to work with great people while gaining experiences he wouldn't have had elsewhere.
Luke praised Palmer's welcoming environment and commitment to improving communities, and Blake said he would recommend Palmer Engineering because "everyone is very nice and helpful...and they care about their employees very much."
Josh highlighted the variety of opportunities, hands-on experience, and strong sense of community, while Christian said he especially enjoyed the office environment and the people he worked with at Palmer. Isabelle recommended the internship because of the balance between office work and field work, giving students the opportunity to experience both sides of engineering.
Caelan summed up his experience by saying he would recommend an internship at Palmer to other students because of, "The people - they are all so incredibly smart individuals who know so much about CAD. They are all very nice and funny as well."
As we recognize National Intern Day, we're grateful for the enthusiasm, curiosity, and hard work our summer interns have brought to Palmer Engineering this year. We're equally grateful to the Palmer employees who invested their time, knowledge, and encouragement in mentoring this year's interns. Their willingness to teach, answer questions, and share their expertise is what makes our internship program so valuable.
No engineering road trip is complete without a Buc-ee's stop! Left to right: Andrew Brown, PE; Sydney King; Leah Wills; Luke Bertsch; and Christian Beazel
