For my STEP Signature Project, I worked Honda of America Manufacturing in their Marysville automotive plant. I worked in quality engineering on several projects but was mainly responsible for New model chassis issues on the new 21 Model Accura TLX. This involved analyzing technical drawings, conducting sampling tests and coordinating with other engineering teams.

One of the main things that transformed for me throughout this Co-op was my confidence in my own engineering skills. As a senior in high school and even as a freshman in college, I was very nervous and did not think that I would be able to keep up in the highly competitive field that is engineering. Working at Honda quickly crushed these fears and allowed me to focus confidently in my own work. I highly encourage everyone to gain a firsthand experience like this because it will give real world skills and interactions within their respective field. The classroom is a great place to gain a base understanding of certain topics, but Co-oping and interning is where you really apply this knowledge. I also obtained a much better understanding of the workplace and company culture. This mainly includes how people within the company interact with one another and feel about their positions.

I think what lead to my main transformation was getting to work on my own projects with very little help from my mentor. This could be a very scary task at first, but it also forced me to rely on myself and my own engineering knowledge. The best part about this is seeing the outcome of the project and knowing that it is a direct result of your own hard work. When I got to work on my own projects, it also forced me to learn on my own very quickly in order to meet deadlines and complete tasks. I mainly experienced this when working on my main project, the 21 Model Accura TLX. One specific example of this was when I was required to learn VBA in excel, a coding language that I had no experience with, and  had to remake a macro program that a previous Co-op did not complete.

During my STEP Signature Project, I was required to learn a quality sampling plan for all of the new model TLXs. This entailed taking the ride heights and corner weights of the car, taking tire pressure measurements and conducting analysis on this data. I was required to drive the cars to different spots in the plant, which was also very difficult in the cramped and fast-paced factory environment. This required coordinating with different engineering teams and assembly working to assure that my work was not interfering with production flow, which I very quickly learned the importance of. When I was asked to do all of these things, I did not have the slightest understanding of their significance or how to do them, but I very quickly learned and was able to see this transformation within myself very clearly.

My relationship with my mentor and supervisor also was a large contributor to my success and transformation throughout this Co-op. Even though I tried my best to rely on myself and my own knowledge, it became clear to me that it is important to ask lots of questions to stay on task. This also made me more organized and a better note taker because keeping everything down with pen and paper proved to be very helpful to not ask the same questions multiple times. My mentor and supervisor were both always happy to answer any questions that I had in order to help me learn as much as possible.

Most importantly, I think all these changes will make me a better student in the short term and a better employee in the long term. The Co-op has made me more focused, more task-oriented and more motivated to see what else the mechanical engineering field has to offer. This motivation will carry on into the classroom and all the extracurriculars I am involved in as well. I also think that it will be very appealing to future employers that I already have some real-world work experience under my belt and could give me a competitive edge over other job candidates. This was a great way for me to experience the automotive industry and I hope to Co-op again in a different industry to gain even more experience and broaden my perspective.

My STEP project was working as the Technical Co-Op at the Appvion Pulp and Paper Mill in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania. During this experience, I spent the summer and fall terms working full time alongside process engineers in a highly industrial, manufacturing environment. My main responsibilities involved leading and aiding safety, quality, and cost reduction optimization projects. I worked heavily with data and other engineers to support new business development and solve process issues.

Before this co-op, I assumed that any job I would get using my chemical engineering degree would be challenging and rewarding. This experience gave me a much needed wake-up call. During my time there, any work I did was rarely satisfying, and the work that felt rewarding to do was closed away once finished, never to be put to use. The fact that I performed a job using my engineering knowledge for such a long time and found so little enjoyment through it showed me that I need to reevaluate my approach to job hunting. I cannot simply take the first opportunity that comes my way because I am afraid that another one may not follow. I learned that I have what it takes to be a valuable asset to a company, so there will always be opportunities as long as I am looking for them. And, more importantly, I learned what I enjoy and what I DO NOT enjoy in a workplace. So, I can look at future employers with a much more critical eye to make sure that my next job will not just be a good move for my career but will bring me happiness and fulfillment through my work.

Aside from the insights relating to my career, I also learned a tremendous amount about myself and how I want to live my life. For over half of a year, I was separated from all of my friends and family. I moved to an unfamiliar place after never living on my own with my nearest lifeline being a 6 hour drive away. So I had to learn how to live by myself and fast. Looking back at the experience, I did a tremendous job of taking care of myself. I ate food I prepared myself every night, exercised regularly and often, and did not skimp on my sleep. Regardless of all that, I was miserable. I missed the people that I loved, and there was nothing I could do to fill that void. I very definitively learned that I am not a one-man-show and that I need to keep close the people that I care about in my life.

There were a number of activities that made me realize that not all chemical engineering jobs are created equal. I went into this project under the assumption that my educational background will set me up to perform meaningful work that impacted people in a positive way. However, I was quickly hit in the face with the fact that there are stooges in every field and that, as a co-op, I was one of them. The work I performed fell into the realm of chemical engineering, but very little of it was rewarding to complete. I did jobs such as pulling and visualizing years’ worth of data when requested, completing repetitive lab testing, and tending to the odd task that nobody else wanted to do. My work had a huge impact on the people I worked with directly, but that impact was temporary and did not extend past those I worked with closely.

While a lot of discontentment stemmed from my work, I also gained an enormous amount of confidence through the projects I completed. I always took the time to make sure my work was done well and on time, no matter how small or tedious the task may have been. I always went out of my way to support my coworkers and kept my supervisor involved with organized, weekly updates. I like to be proud of the work I complete, but sometimes I still could not help but to feel that someone else in my place could do just as well if not better than me. This kept me from being satisfied with what I was doing and made me somewhat timid in sharing my work and requesting more involved projects. At the midpoint and end of my co-op experience, I had to put together a presentation to share my progress with my coworkers and superiors. During these presentations, I received nothing but positive feedback and gratitude. It showed me that I am not just another expendable laborer, but a valued individual who has the power to make a real difference.

As far as the personal growth I experienced during this job, there is no better way to learn about yourself than to be alone with yourself. After I left work, I was alone and had full control over how I spent my time at home. I had none of my friends or family with me or any academic or extracurricular commitments to keep me busy. It was just me, and I had to learn how to put together a life that was separate from everything I have known so far. So, I started cooking. I joined a gym and went on long runs. I learned how to run a household and to take care of myself. I was forced to fend for myself after always being taken care of by my parents and the dorms, and I am better for the experience.

One of my original motivations for taking this job was to build my resume with practical and relevant experience. My strong resume would then keep me from struggling to find work after graduation. The development I underwent during my STEP project showed me that I need to worry less about the “job” and more about how this job will give me happiness and fulfillment. There are a lot of things that go into a forging a career that does more than just puts food on the table, and this experience has made me shift my perspective to more fully encompass the aspects of working that stretch beyond a paycheck. I now know that I have the abilities to be sought after as an employee, and I have gained the confidence and know-how to take charge of my future and direct it down the path that I want to travel.

STEP Post-Project Reflection
By Maria Belicak
12/23/2019

My STEP project was an internship at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. This took place mostly in Findlay, Ohio, the headquarters of Marathon Petroleum, although I got the opportunity to travel to various other locations where Marathon has operations. I was assigned to the midstream segment of the company, specifically, the Marathon Pipe Line component. I worked in the Environmental team in the headquarters and visited team members in field locations along the pipeline trajectory who supported environmental compliance in these locations.
This internship was a great opportunity for me to learn things outside of my coursework since I was applying environmental engineering principles more than chemical engineering, my major. Not relying much on my major to do my job at first made me a little uncomfortable, but I realized that most jobs chemical engineering majors are hired for aren’t necessarily going to be directly related to the coursework done in undergrad. One must be flexible and willing to learn throughout one’s career to be able to be a good worker. Teamwork and collaboration are also, of course, important skills to have in the workplace too. This is also important in undergrad but has more of a central emphasis in industry.
Some of the projects that pushed me out of my comfort zone were projects that required me to seek the help of individuals outside my direct work group. For one project, I had to call vendors to discuss buying equipment. I orchestrated a demo of the equipment and had to work with safety and construction workers to approve of and test the equipment. This was a challenge for me since I was not very familiar with the type of equipment used and had not met anyone I was contacting for help before. The project had a positive impact for the company since we ended up buying an updated equipment set that made a pipeline construction operation more cost effective and safe for workers. Seeing the fruits of my work from working with others and learning about a process I formerly didn’t know anything about encouraged me to be more outgoing and learn about other operations of the business so that I could be more of a help to my supervisor. Learning how to speak to vendors was also a good skill to learn no matter what industry I end up in.
I also learned about the importance of making professional contacts. The network of people one gets to know at a large corporation, especially when working at the headquarters, is an indispensable resource. Many of the people I met had been working for Marathon for a while and have had different roles in the company. Hearing them list the pros and cons of their former and current positions was informative for me. I know now that there are many different opportunities and locations where one can work for Marathon. This encouraged me to pursue the opportunity for another internship semester at Marathon.
Another valuable component to my time at Marathon was my opportunity to travel to different locations where Marathon operates. Since Marathon Pipe Line operates across the middle of the United States, this large area requires personnel to have offices along the pipeline to be able to monitor and respond to emergencies faster than those in Findlay could. I took every opportunity I had to visit our field Environmental Professionals. I got to see dig projects and how the Environmental team is involved in these projects, as well as what recurring responsibilities the team members have all through the year, in locations such as Washington, Missouri, and Cattletsburg, Kentucky. Business travel also exposed me to some experiences I hadn’t had before. For example, I was allowed to rent cars under the company name. Having to get rentals and book hotels and flights was something I wasn’t very familiar with before. Now I feel much more comfortable traveling on my own. I have learned how to keep myself and my belongings safe while being on time for my travel schedule. This is another transferable skill I am so grateful to have as a result of this internship.
The implications of what I have gained from this internship are wide-reaching. Firstly, I am planning on returning to Marathon Petroleum for another internship during the Fall 2020 semester. I got a recommendation from my former supervisor and mentor to get a return internship offer. I have made many contacts in the company and with professional consultants for Marathon which has greatly increased my professional network size. I was also able to travel multiple times to locations around the United States. This gave me more confidence for solo travel. Additionally, I had to teach myself or ask for help understanding concepts of environmental engineering to be able to complete certain tasks. This made me think outside the realm of my major coursework and has made me consider getting a minor in environmental engineering or environmental policy. I also had to contact vendors and arrange for them to demo products, which required organization amongst several organizations within the company. This further extended my network of contacts and gave me the opportunity to grow my confidence in speaking with vendors and consultants. These skills and experiences are valuable for many career paths, although I am looking forward to returning to Marathon most likely next fall semester for another internship. The opportunity to work for this company, aided by my STEP fund, helped me develop my professional and technical knowledge in a lasting way.

1. My STEP Project sent me to Kenai, Alaska working with Marathon Petroleum at their 14 refineries. I took this Co-Op over the fall of 2019 giving me the opportunity to explore the Alaska from Mid-August to Mid-December.

2. It was interesting to see the stereotypes of Alaska as I told friends and family I was headed there. Everyone assumed it would be frozen year-round and devoid of people. In reality I was in a small town in Southern Alaska, much like you would find in the Midwest, where I am from, and had a similar climate to Columbus. I made calls back to friends that were at Ohio State where the weather was 10-15 degrees colder than Kenai at times. I trusted these stereotypes before I went but almost all of them turned out to be false or only half true.

I have always been into energy, but mainly looking at clean renewable energy. I never thought I would be working in the oil and gas industry, but after spending about 4 months working at a refinery, I found that I enjoy the refinery life. People see the oil and gas industry as a heavy polluter and terrible for the environment, when in reality there are many regulations and environmental quotas to be met. Considering the size of the industry it runs relatively clean when comparing it to industries of similar scale. I really enjoyed my time working with Marathon and would highly consider working with them full-time.

3. Before I started work in Kenai, I explored Alaska with my father. We travelled from Anchorage up to Denali, where we did some great hiking, to Fairbanks, which has a wonderful hot spring, to the St. Elias National Forest and the Kennicott Mine. In total, we traveled about 2000 miles exploring Alaska. We took time to stop at almost every picture location off the highway. Usually these spots right off the highway are mediocre views at best, but not in Alaska. There are glaciers, rivers, and mountains, truly anything you could want to see right off the highway. It is hard to believe that anyone would classify this as a frozen wasteland where people live in igloos and ride moose. It was a balmy 70 degrees many days and this summer was actually a fairly tough drought for Alaska which led to a few forest fires in the area. Even in the first two weeks, it was clear to see most people’s perceptions of Alaska were incorrect.

After starting work, I was given a crash course in refining. My supervisor at the time ran me through each and every unit the refinery had and how they all fit together. This took about 3-4 hours to complete, and still he was just barely touching the surface of how these units run. After the class was completed, he gave me a blank 11”x17” sheet of paper and told me to draw the flow of oil through the refinery. Essentially how does the crude oil come in and transform into the products. What products go where, and which units feed other units. I had 10 minutes and no notes. After about 7 minutes I had completed my drawing and only missed 2 streams. I understood refining and enjoyed it. Giving me a possible career option after graduation.

Looking back on my time in Kenai, I wouldn’t change anything I did. I worked hard, completed my projects well and on time, and learned as much as I could about refining. However, at the end of my time I did not receive the highest possible “score” from my mentor. When I asked what the difference was between myself and someone who would receive that top score, I was given a list of small details and irrelevant things I could have done. This may have been one of the best lessons I learned in Alaska. Make sure you understand the expectations of your supervisors, understand what they believe your job is, because it may not always be what is in your written job description.

4. These changes relate very heavily to my future professional goals. My top career choice at the moment would be to end up in the refining industry. I have another internship lined up with Marathon in Gallup, New Mexico in the summer of 2020. This is a fairly large change for me because I didn’t really have a strong grasp on what industry I wanted to get into, but now that I have my foot in the door with the oil and gas industry I am hoping to stay there and hopefully will be able to receive a fulltime offer upon graduation.

Half way up the Slaughter Gulch hike in Cooper Landing in Late November

Looking across the Cook Inlet from a tower in the Kenai Refinery

Step Post-Project Reflection 

My STEP signature project was my internship program at the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus. My responsibilities included writing memos for staffers, completing research projects for Senators, and attending meetings and committee hearings. 

Overall, this internship program helped me become more confident and prepared for my post graduate experience. I learned that I have been appropriately working on my communication and analyzation skills, which are skills highly prioritized by employers. Other desirable skills I have developed as a result of this internship include increased proficiency in reading legal documents, memo writing, and critical thinking. My networking capabilities have also been enhanced as a result of making the connections I have in my assigned office. I also learned the value of local politics and gained a deeper understanding of how legislation is made by attending various committee meetings and Session in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This experience has also aided my understanding of the balance between federal policy and state policy. While my focus was primarily on various state policies and how they can inform Ohio legislation, I often had to consider if there was any sort of federal precedent or current legislation that would help or hurt my specific case. 

Lastly, I went into this internship unsure of what path I wanted to take in my life. I had taken classes in both areas of state politics and international politics, not certain which field I wanted to go into. My main motive in taking this internship was to explore one of those fields more in-depth to see if it was for me. I have learned over the course of this semester that working at this level of government is not something I see myself pursuing after college. 

Going into this internship, I had little knowledge about how state government was set up. I had only been to the statehouse once, so the whole process was somewhat shrouded in mystery for me. I had friends who were pages, and when they discussed their work I was always confused and somewhat overwhelmed and disappointed with how little I knew. From the moment I got to the office, everyone was extremely helpful in explaining how the State House was set up. Most of my learning was experiential- I went to committee meetings, sat in on Democratic team meetings, staff meetings in the Democratic Caucus office, and attended session. Through these experiences I not only learned my way around the Statehouse, but how the legislative process in Ohio works. This was a really big question of mine that I wanted answered. The most informative experience I had in this regard was learning how to use the Ohio Revised Code. One of the projects I had the pleasure of working on this semester was collecting information about different gun laws and how they relate to Ohio gun policy. Specifically, I wrote a memo on how states differ in their requirements for safety training and requirements for proper gun storage. One of the Democratic Senators was interested in improving Ohio’s proper gun storage policy in order to deter gun deaths in the state. What I found in my research was that no class offered in Ohio to get your concealed carry permit/permit to purchase a gun included a section on how to properly store guns. My advisor directed me to the Ohio Revised Code, where I found that technically under Ohio law it is required that safety training be apart of such permit courses. I was able to point out this discrepancy to the interested Senator so he shifted his efforts in the right direction. 

Another key learning experience was learning how to read bills and extract the important information to write memos. Academic writing is something that has always been a strong suit of mine, but I was very concerned about the difference between that and the style memos are written in. I had suspected that I would be expected to complete the task of writing a memo during the course of this internship, and when I was it resulted in several unintended consequences.  I learned more about how to read a bill, how to problem solve, and how to think critically to produce questions for Senators to ask. The bill I wrote a memo for was on sports betting; the bill was attempting to legalize sports (including college) betting in Ohio which has several social, political, and fiscal consequences. To accurately write the memo I had to read the bill itself and conduct outside research to see what organizations (such as Ohio State) had to say about the bill. From this I produced a condensed version of the bill for Senators/Policy Advisors to read in addition to some questions such as if there were any aspects of the bill that addressed the increased likelihood of gambling addictions that would come with increasing access to betting through the use of mobile devices. This experience definitely enhanced my understanding of the legislative process and prepared me for future employers. 

Lastly, I really wanted to work on identifying my strongest skills for future employers. This internship was largely an exercise in self discovery for me; finding out what projects excite me and what my strong suits are. To do this, I really tried to get the most out of the internship that I could.  I always made sure to ask where I could improve and if there was any feedback. I also checked in with my supervisor at key points during projects to make sure I was staying on track, while also taking enough initiative to show that I can work independently. In addition to those interpersonal skills, I have gained significant experience in research, data collection, and data input. I created two databases for gun violence statistics and completed several research essays on a variety of topics. I now know that I have concrete examples to provide future employers to show them, rather than tell them, that I can complete the tasks expected of me. 

Lastly, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of how federal policy interacts with state level policy. I chose to do this through a specific policy lense; gun violence. Through this topic I was able to learn about federal precedence, how federal laws (like Universal Background Check systems) interact with State law (NICS), and how state laws are fundamental in tackling the issue of gun violence. This was also a really good exercise in understanding the importance of state level lawmaking. Before I started this internship, my presumption would have been that federal policy was more important. This is most likely due to the fact that major news outlets, like CNN or NPR (where I primarily get my news), only report federal policy changes. Local or state politics are not as high profile, which wrongly gives off the perception that they are less important. My research into gun policy gave me a real world example of how wrong I was, but I learned this lesson in almost every aspect of my job. Every week I got to listen to and watch meaningful policy get sent to the Governor. Seeing just how much legislation passed through the Statehouse in one week was an incredible experience and showed me just how crucial the work done by the Democratic Caucus is. I have certainly learned the important lesson that “all politics are local.” The really important legislation affecting everyday Americans has been happening right down the street from me all along, and I really got to see that fact come to fruition.

This experience has afforded me a plethora of learning opportunities that I have used to expand my professional capabilities and networking skills. As I have detailed in this response, each experience I had not only increased my own personal sense of confidence but improved my ability to sell myself to future employers. I gained transferable job experience that could be applied to a variety of fields which also allowed me to build up self confidence that can help me network and reach higher for my goals.