2021 Summer Interns @ MATT: Part Two

Welcome to part two of our Summer Intern blog series where we highlight the experiences of MATT Construction’s summer interns in a variety of fields including project engineering, safety, human resources, marketing, and business development. Meet Morgan Ratzan-Wank, Emily Fischman, Severino Silvestre, Dean Jamali, and Nabil Khalil below.

MORGAN RATZAN-WANK: PROJECT ENGINEER INTERN AT THE NBCU BARHAM SOUNDSTAGES

Q: Tell us about yourself

A: “My name is Morgan Ratzan-Wank and I’m from Glendale, California. I’m going into my second year at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo studying Mechanical Engineering. On campus, I’m a member of the Society of Women Engineers, Quality of Life Plus, as well as Cal Poly Amusement Park Engineers and Designers, which is a club that helps students learn about and connect with the themed entertainment industry. In my free time, I have always loved to do outdoor activities like hiking and running.”

Q: Who has been an influential figure during your time at MATT Construction?

A: “I look up to each member of my team as a mentor, both on and off of the construction site. I have something in common with all my mentors, whether that be my university, being a female mechanical engineer, my hometown, or even my love for dogs. Regardless of how I first connected with my team, everyone is so supportive, open to answering my questions, and they all give very insightful advice. With valuing work-life balance and following their passions, I know that I will continue to look up to each of my team members even after my internship finishes.

Q: What are your career aspirations?

A: “I’ve had a passion for STEM for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved building new things and collaborating with others on projects. My goal is to take my Mechanical Engineering degree and build things that help other people. It’d be cool to get into the health and prosthetics field or use my skills to build rides at theme parks, since I have always been a big theme park person.”

EMILY FISCHMAN: PROJECT ENGINEER INTERN AT LA PAZ RANCH

Q: Tell us about yourself. 

A: “My name is Emily Fischman—I’m from Orange County, and I am heading into my third year at UCLA where I’m majoring in Civil Engineering. I’ve always been a STEM person, but it wasn’t until I participated in a summer-long structural and geotechnical engineering program that I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Engineering. I’m a member of both the American Society of Civil Engineers as well as the Seismic Design Project, where we design buildings out of wood and test them against shake tables to compete with other schools. Outside of school, I enjoy spending my free time cooking and baking. Having worked at a bakery last summer, I recently started to love baking on a larger scale and hope to continue to perfect my skills and recipes.”

Q: What has been your biggest takeaway from interning at MATT Construction?

A: “Throughout my internship, I’ve been able to immerse myself in organizational tasks such as managing RFI’s and submittals. It’s been fascinating being a part of a project in the early stages of construction; it has allowed me to gain a strong understanding of how projects come to fruition. The biggest takeaway from my experience is that there are so many moving parts in construction and it’s so important to be able to think on your feet and make quick, educated decisions.

Q: What is the number one item on your bucket list? 

A: “Growing up, I’ve always wanted to compete on the Amazing Race, a show where 11 teams race around the world deducing clues and navigating through foreign countries to see who completes the challenge first. Having the opportunity to team up with my dad on one of my favorite shows while traveling the world would be an unforgettable experience.

SEVERINO SILVESTRE: MARKETING INTERN

Q: Tell us about yourself

A: “My name is Severino Silvestre and I’m from Palos Verdes, CA. I’m entering my senior year at Chapman University where I’m studying Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing, as well as Data Analytics. I entered my first year at Chapman University pursuing pre-dentistry, but it was not until I was introduced to Alpha Kappa Psi, the nation’s largest professional business fraternity, that I realized business was the passion that I wanted to pursue. Growing up, music has always been a big part of my life and is my passion. During quarantine, I’ve loved becoming more active by going to the gym and stepping outdoors any chance I can get.”

Q: What is your favorite part about interning at MATT Construction?

A: “Throughout the summer, I spearheaded the intern marketing campaign, coordinating interviews with the other interns and planning out the social media marketing execution. I have been working closely with the marketing department on various tasks such as database management, and have gotten the chance to take my data analytics skills to the next level on a budget analysis project. My favorite part about interning at MATT is not only the supportive team that guides me, but also the autonomy they give me to learn by facing challenges on my own, which contributes to strengthening my personal growth.”

Q: If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now?

A: “I would love the opportunity to spend more time with my family. Since I am a first-generation, half-Japanese, and half-Filipino citizen, many of my relatives do not live in the United States. Growing up, I never had the chance to make strong connections with many of them and would love the opportunity to do so.”

DEAN JAMALI: SAFETY INTERN

Q: Tell us about yourself 

A: “My name is Dean Jamali and I’m currently a Senior at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where I’ll be finishing up my degree in Safety Health and Environmental Applied Sciences at the end of summer. On campus, I was the treasurer and secretary of the American Society of Safety Professionals and a member of the Red Cross Club. Coming from the Bay Area, I’ve always loved basketball; I’m supporting the Golden State Warriors and love shooting hoops whenever I have the chance.”

Q: What is your favorite part about interning at MATT Construction? 

A: “As a Safety Intern at MATT, I have had the opportunity to visit and work on multiple project sites such as the (W)rapper, the Landmark Apartments, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. One of my favorite parts about being a Safety Intern for MATT Construction is how I get to immerse myself in every aspect of construction. As a safety officer, I get to attend every meeting where I listen in and learn about everything happening on site. Being able to experience all the different aspects of a construction site makes me feel like I am part of something greater.”

Q: What has been your biggest takeaway from interning at MATT Construction?

A: “I’ve learned how important it is to always be able to think on my feet at a construction site. You never know when you might turn a corner and see a safety hazard that needs to be addressed. The construction industry produces the most injuries yearly, and by learning all the tasks and safety precautions that need to be taken on each jobsite, I’ve learned how to guarantee that each work site is as safe as possible.”

NABIL KHALIL: BIM/VDC/ESTIMATING INTERN

Q: Tell us about yourself 

A: “My name is Nabil Khalil and I graduated from California State University Dominguez Hills in 2019 with my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Technology. Whenever I have free time, I’m most likely occupied with music, whether it be listening or creating my own music. Music has always been one of my greatest passions, and I could talk about music all day long. A dream I have is to one day be able to have my own catalog of music that I created.

Q: What is your favorite part about interning at MATT Construction? 

A: “I deal with 3D models of current and future projects to determine certain sizes and quantities needed for each project. Because I’ve not had prior experience with business information modeling, learning the software is still a learning process, but I have been really enjoying the work I have been doing. I initially did not know that this field existed until my father, Hakim Khalil, the SVP of Estimating at MATT, gave me guidance about what this field has to offer. Overall, my favorite part about interning at MATT is being able to expose myself to this new field and learn as much as I can every single day while working in a growth-oriented work environment.”

Q: What has been your biggest takeaway from interning at MATT Construction? 

A: “One thing I haven’t had much prior experience with is collaboration in the work setting. During my time at MATT, I’ve learned how to work, communicate, and collaborate with others in an office environment, whether it be communicating about 3D models and estimates, or getting to know my co-workers on a personal level. Although I’ve improved drastically at collaboration, it will continue to be a work in progress throughout my future work experience.”

Thank you to all the interns who participated in these interviews. MATT Construction is very grateful to have so many intelligent, talented, and hard-working interns that join our team each summer.