As a part of their selection as interns to the Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AIME) partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, two North Carolina A&T State University senior engineering majors traveled to Wiesbaden, Germany to work with Aggie, Darren Walls.

“It's rewarding to be able to give back and help other Aggies follow in my footsteps with such a great opportunity to live and work abroad for a summer,” Walls said in an e-mail.

Walls, a 1999 architectural engineering graduate, has worked with the Corps for 12 years in various capacities including as an intern with the Department of the Army, a junior architect, project engineer and his current position as a project manager.

“I manage the overall execution of projects to include design, construction, budget and schedule,” he said.

Architectural engineering major Allison Townes and civil engineering major Lucas Suarez are among the latest students from N.C. A&T to be accepted to the AIME partnership with the Corps of Engineers in the Europe District.

“We typically have at least one student from A&T participate in the program each summer,” Walls said.

This is Suarez’s first study abroad experience but A&T prepared him for it, he said.

“N.C. A&T has instilled the technical proficiency that was demanded of me for my involvement in engineering projects,” Suarez said in an e-mail.

The trip to Germany was Townes’ second study abroad experience as she traveled to Ghana in March with the Honors Program.

“It was an amazing opportunity to experience a new culture and exchange ideas,” she said.

It has been the university’s commitment to excellence to produce global leaders that has prepared Townes most for her German journey.

“My dean, Dr. Robin Coger, arranged for the funding of Lucas and my travel arrangements – without the College of Engineering’s sponsorship, I would not have been able to come overseas,” she said. “N.C. A&T has upheld its mission.”

This summer, Suarez worked as an engineer technician or an alternate project manager on various projects throughout Europe. His responsibilities were to adhere, answer and respond to members’ questions, comments and concerns and solve any issue that surfaces with documentation or directing another component of the project to gather the required information and find the resources necessary to arrive to a solution.

“This AMIE internship has opened my horizons to great lengths from a professional connection aspect,” Suarez said. 

He said these were all experiences that will help make him a better student and set him up for the career he aspires toward in the private sector.

“It has made me a better problem-solver, analytical thinker, and has taught me to hone my skills and use them in any real life application,” Suarez said.

Townes worked in the engineering and construction division becoming familiar with the ongoing projects and learning the unique protocols for building in Germany.  She specifically conducted quality assurance.

Her time in Germany has prepared her for an upcoming class and for her goal to pursue post-graduate studies.

“Due to the nature of the climate, in the surrounding region of Wiesbaden, Germany there is a large amount of concrete block construction.  The technique was new to me as I am from North Carolina and accustomed to wood-frame and steel-frame construction,” she said.

“I imagine what I learned this summer will be very helpful as I prepare to take a reinforced concrete design class in the fall.”

Walls said that Townes and Suarez’s experience will give them a competitive edge their peers don’t have.

“I think just being able to experience working with a major government engineering agency overseas will definitely give the student an upper advantage over their peers who have not had that experience,” Walls said.

“I know for me personally it opened my eyes to many more options and broadening my outlook of doing business internationally.”

The goal of the AMIE program is to act as a promoter and encourager to minority students to pursue engineering careers and as an avenue for members to exchange "best practices" and solutions for development of a diversified engineering workforce.