We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Young-Ji Byon of Northwestern College for inviting BEI to speak with their engineering students. It was a privilege for Mark and Sam to share insights about civil engineering and BEI’s work with students in this inaugural year of Northwestern’s engineering program.

Dr. Byon has met with Mark and Sam a few times to make sure his program will adequately prepare his students for a career in the ‘real-world’ of engineering. They have given him their insight on current industry standards and practices, recent technological advances that we have seen and been using, and important skills we feel are sometimes under-emphasized in a typical engineering program like client communication, effective and efficient decision-making, and creative problem solving to find the best solution. The session provided students with practical perspectives on civil engineering applications and BEI’s approach to projects in the field, highlighting local projects to show that fulfilling careers in engineering can be found right here in Northwest Iowa.

This collaboration represents our commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineering talent in our community. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Northwestern College’s engineering program as it develops, providing mentorship, industry perspective, and potential internship opportunities for students as they progress through their studies.