ICTSI-NEU scholar interns with Global Engineering
John Lenard Rivera, a third year Civil Engineering student and ICTSI Foundation scholar at the Northeastern University (NEU) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, has returned to the Philippines to pursue his Cooperative Education internship with ICTSI Global Engineering.
Lenard is currently assigned to the ongoing Berth 7 expansion works as well as the wharf repair works at Berths 1 to 5 of the Manila International Container Terminal. His usual tasks involve coordinating with site engineers, consultants and contractors. He also prepares the monthly progress reports for Berth 7, attends turnover meetings, and conducts on-site inspections.
“Interning here is, I would say, one of the best decisions I have made in college. The engineers are very accommodating, and they’ve been treating me like a real engineer from ICTSI. They consider my suggestions every time there are problems on site. To be honest, I have learned more things here in my co-op than in classes,” explains Lenard.
Cooperative Education is NEU’s cornerstone experiential learning program that provides students the opportunity to explore or refine potential career paths, make valuable industry connections, broaden perspectives, and acquire the skills and knowledge need to succeed outside the comfort zone of the classroom. Students can choose to have their Co-Op internship with NEU partner companies, or like Lenard, choose their own company and connect them to the university.
Aside from doing his internship, Lenard got together with his friends from high school to organize the #WeAreOne donation drive for the homeless in Tondo and Binondo. The donation drive raised a total of PhP130,000, which was used to provide food packs, grocery packs, and hygiene kits to some of the homeless in Manila. For October, Lenard and his friends plan to help public schools with materials they need for the start of online classes.
“This experience taught me that lending a helping hand to people in need does not always require money or any material things. People who want to help will always help no matter what they have. Time, effort, and heart are more than enough. We don’t have to be rich to help–we just need to have the willingness and the heart.”
