NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 6, 2017) – A local high school sophomore shadowed a number of very experienced engineers today at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District to learn more about the jobs and educational requirements of the career field.
Charles Nissen, a 10th grader from Montgomery Bell Academy, in Nashville, Tenn., is interested in pursuing engineering in college. He is part of a program called “Sophomore Youth Leadership Opportunities,” which affords him the chance to visit with an affiliated organization of their choosing to explore career options.
At the district headquarters, located in the Estes Kefauver Federal Building, Nissen met with Lt. Col. Stephen L. Murphy, Nashville District commander and Maj. Christopher Burkhart, Nashville District deputy commander.
Burkhart gave Nissen a brief orientation on the roles of civilian workers and military personnel; he then received a more in-depth look at the district’s history, branches, and project locations and purposes.
Following the opening orientation, Burkhart guided Nissen through the office spaces. He met experts from the structural, mechanical, water resources, water management, and cost engineering sections of the Engineering Branch. Moving from one engineering section to another, he gained an overall better understanding of what it means to be a military-support and civil-works engineer in the Corps.
Robert Dillingham, a civil engineer in Water Management, provided an insight to how water works on the Cumberland River and Tennessee Rivers. He said it was good to have young people visit the district and interact with working engineers who could share real world experiences or a roadmap of sorts on how to become an engineer.
“It is great that we can expose our youth to different career fields this early,” said Dillingham. “The better off it is for our organization in the long run because we can help them start thinking about being an engineer at an earlier age and answer any questions he migjht have,” said Dillingham.
After the tour, Burkhart led Nissen on a tour to see a power plant, dam, navigation lock, and a construction site at the Old Hickory Lock and Dam in Hendersonville, Tenn.
Joseph Conatser, superintendent at the Old Hickory Power Plant and Burkhart accompanied Nissen through the dam and to the control room. Conatser said it was an excellent opportunity for him to show Nissen the dam and help him learn about the district’s infrastructure and engineering expertise.
“I always get a kick out of seeing students come to visit the power house, see how it operates and get that look on their face when they see or learn something new,” said Conatser. “This offers students a practical approach to basic science and engineering, which helps them understand what engineers do and how college classes relate to real-world engineering.”
At the end of the tour Nissen said understanding the whole concept of a dam, the hydropower process was a mind blowing experience and he is appreciative of the chance to shadow Burkhart and the Nashville District engineers. He said he plans to pursue the engineering field.
“This tour helped me see what I hope to accomplish… what I want to do and I have some great stories to tell my classmates when I get back to MBA,” said Nissen. “Most people don’t get this opportunity to decide this early what they want to do and next year I’m going to be a junior and now I have to start with making my college decison.”
Burkhart said he was very impressed with Nissen and his attentiveness. He said everyone involved with mentoring Nissen at the district provided an excellent overview of engineering and exposed him to the Corps’ engineering mission.
“A lot of people know what they want to do. They don’t necessarily know how to get there,” said Burkhart. “And so by having them here today it does give them an opportunity to maybe talk to the different engineers and maybe something someone said will help him decide what field of engineer he will pursue,”
Burkhart said the district has supported the MBA shadow program for several years and believes it is a success because engineers have the opportunity to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the types of classes, schools and degrees in math and science needed that translates to an actual job.
“It’s a great opportunity for Nissen to have a hands-on experience and see what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does in terms of the full spectrum of everything we do,” said Burkhart.
The Nashville District is committed to teaming with organizations like MBA to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs that inspire current and future generations of young people to pursue careers in these career fields.
Nissen’s parents John and Jenniffer Haendel are residents of Nashville, Tenn.
For more information about Montgomery Bell Academy, go to http://www.montgomerybell.edu. For news, updates and information about the Nashville District, please follow and “Like” us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and Cheatham Lake at http://www.facebook.com/cheathamlake.