The Building Group is excited to welcome Emma Lavoie as one of their 2026 Summer Interns. She is a rising junior at the University of Connecticut studying Civil Engineering with a minor in Math. Emma is Vice President of the Women in Math, Science, and Engineering Club (WiMSE), a true testament to her knowledge and leadership skills.
Unlike the other Building Group interns, Emma is not assigned to a school project. Instead, she is working on the renovation of Valley Labs in Windsor, CT, a state-funded project. She begins each day by exporting the previous day’s superintendent log from O&G’s software and uploading it to the State’s project management system. From there, she supports the day-to-day operations of the project by attending meetings and taking detailed notes, reviewing and redlining RFIs, distributing weekly open submittal logs to the trades, reviewing field reports and monitoring outstanding action items, and walking the site with the OpenSpace camera to capture progress throughout the project footprint. Emma remains actively engaged throughout the day, assisting with a variety of tasks as needed to support her supervisor, Nick Pedrolini, and the overall success of the project.
Through this hands-on experience, Emma has developed a wide range of valuable skills, particularly in active listening and communication. “Everything happens so quickly, especially during meetings,” Emma explains. “I’ve learned how to identify key information, focus on what’s most important, and capture it effectively.” As the internship has progressed, she has noticed a significant improvement in her note-taking abilities, with her notes becoming more concise, organized, and clear. In addition to strengthening her communication skills, Emma has also gained valuable technical experience. Prior to this internship, she had never used Bluebeam software; now, she is able to navigate the platform confidently and efficiently. She has also become more comfortable working in a desktop-based environment, adapting to a setup that differs from the laptop she was accustomed to using. These experiences have helped Emma build both her technical proficiency and overall confidence in a professional construction management setting.
The biggest hurdle for Emma this summer has been trying to learn the complexities of the construction industry. This is her first experience working in construction, so she had to build the base knowledge the rest of her team learned years ago. She has tackled this challenge head-on, doing research and asking questions so that she can learn as much as possible. Being in the trailer and on-site with the team has helped immensely, as she is able to absorb information through observation. Emma is already more confident in her knowledge than when she started a few short months ago.
One of the biggest surprises for Emma has been how much she enjoys spending time in the field. “I thought I would prefer a more structured office environment, but it’s been exciting to get out on site and watch the plans come to life,” she says. Because the Valley Labs project is still in its early stages, she has gained valuable insight into how different trades collaborate to keep the project moving forward. “At the end of the day, everyone is working toward the same goal.”
When asked what advice she would give future interns, Emma’s answer is simple: don’t be nervous. Starting a new job can feel intimidating, especially for first-year interns, but her experience quickly put those concerns to rest. “I had no idea what to expect, but everyone was so welcoming and understanding on my first day,” she recalls. “I spent a lot of time stressing for no reason.” Throughout her internship, Emma has felt comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance whenever needed. “No one wants you to fail,” she says. “The sooner you get out of your own head, the more enjoyable and rewarding the experience will be.”
Outside of work, Emma is a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan and never misses an Eagles game. If you see her around the office or on site, be sure to greet her with a “Go Birds!”
