Future Leaders 2026 Internship Night Connects 120 Students with Industry Professionals
The 2026 Future Leaders Internship Night brought 120 Civil and Environmental Engineering students together with engineering firms and industry professionals for an evening centered on career exploration, networking, and professional development.
Held on September 22 at the UConn Alumni Center, the annual event welcomed 90 Civil Engineering students and 30 Environmental Engineering students, giving participants the opportunity to connect directly with professionals representing a range of engineering disciplines and career paths.
This year also marked an important step in the growth of Internship Night. Previously organized primarily through the UConn ASCE Student Chapter, the 2026 event expanded through collaboration with the AAEES Student Chapter and SoCEE, creating greater involvement from the Environmental Engineering community.
The expanded partnership helped make the event more representative of the range of students and disciplines within SoCEE while creating additional opportunities for students to connect with employers relevant to their academic and professional interests.
Throughout the evening, students spoke one-on-one with company representatives about internships, career opportunities, and the transition from college to professional practice. For students at different stages of their academic careers, the event provided a setting to ask questions, learn about potential career paths, and begin building professional relationships.
Participating organizations represented consulting, structural engineering, transportation, environmental engineering, and other areas of the profession. Companies and organizations attending Future Leaders 2026 included:
- Thornton Tomasetti
- Garg Consulting Services, Inc.
- CHA Consulting
- Loureiro Engineering Associates
- HDR Engineering
- Langan
- PES Structural Engineers
- SGH
- Burns & McDonnell
- WSP USA
- EGIS USA Inc.
- Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT)
Growing Internship Night Across SoCEE
The expansion of Future Leaders reflects a broader effort to create professional development opportunities that reach students across SoCEE.
While Internship Night began with a strong foundation in Civil Engineering through ASCE, this year's collaboration brought greater Environmental Engineering participation into both the organization and attendance of the event. Of the 120 students who participated, one-quarter were Environmental Engineering students.
Organizers are already looking toward the next stage of that growth. Plans for future Internship Nights include expanding participation into the construction field, creating an even broader event that connects students across Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and construction-related areas with employers and professionals.
The goal is to continue developing Internship Night into an event where students can discover the breadth of careers available to them while employers have the opportunity to connect with emerging engineers from across UConn.
Connecting Students and the Profession
Future Leaders Internship Night provides students with something that complements their classroom education: direct access to the professionals and organizations working in the fields they are preparing to enter.
Conversations with practicing engineers can introduce students to career paths they may not have previously considered, provide insight into what employers look for in prospective interns and employees, and help students become more comfortable communicating in professional settings.
Student organizations play an important role in creating those opportunities. Through networking events, professional presentations, career preparation activities, and engagement with practicing engineers, organizations such as ASCE and AAEES help students build relationships and professional skills that extend beyond the classroom.
The success and continued expansion of Future Leaders Internship Night demonstrate what can be accomplished through collaboration across student organizations, academic programs, and industry.
Thank you to the UConn ASCE Student Chapter, AAEES Student Chapter, participating companies and organizations, student organizers, and everyone who contributed to Future Leaders 2026 and helped make this year's event possible.
