Three College of Engineering students apply their skills to the workplace with Eaton internships
By Jena Salem
This summer, College of Engineering undergraduate students Jacob Macina, Maxwell Chan and Wilfredo Rosales participated in an internship program with Eaton, a power management company that manufactures energy-efficient products and services. They help customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more reliably, efficiently, safely and sustainably.
“Jacob, Maxwell and Wilfredo were truly phenomenal,” said Eaton HR Manager Daylin Russo. “They all demonstrated incredible skills, a strong work ethic and a genuine enthusiasm for their project. They were able to work individually as well as collaboratively to drive many process improvements and lead a total of 12 separate projects this summer, all of which have been instrumental in Eaton’s success. Their professionalism, adaptability and eagerness to learn have been truly impressive and are a testament to the University’s dedication to their students, and we are grateful to partner with a school as passionate about development as we are.”
Jacob Macina, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
Jacob Macina, a senior mechanical engineering student, was recruited as a design engineering intern for Eaton. Hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia, he decided to attend Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) due to its close proximity to his family, as well as the city’s welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, many of Macina’s family members have STEM-oriented careers, so this influenced him to pursue one of his own.
“I was interested in engineering due to other family members involved in STEM fields and the design process being fascinating to me. This interest evolved into mechanical engineering and guided my decision to accept an internship focusing on design work,” said Macina.
Two technical goals Macina had in mind before starting his position were to create a demo model reference station for employees on the floor to access and update STS product models, drawings and change orders. He accomplished both by communicating and coordinating with professionals within and outside his department and using his preexisting knowledge of engineering. Macina’s professional learning goal was building a network of diverse careers within the company. He achieved this by holding one-on-ones with individuals to communicate and connect.
Macina was able to work with other engineering interns on specialized projects. As the end of his internship approached, he learned the importance of punctuality, communication and taking the opportunity to forge connections with his managers, supervisors, and senior engineers.
“Because we were different types of engineers, our skills could compliment each other,” said Macina. “My advice for future students finding an internship is to go out and become personally introduced to those who you would work with. Employers enjoy seeing candidates interested in the company and the team beyond the internship, so it boosts your chances of being accepted.”
Macina shared that his internship at Eaton changed his perspective on the usefulness of technical knowledge in a workplace. He explained that most of it is learned on the job and that students are not always prepared for every role or software employed.
Maxwell Chan, Biomedical Engineering
Senior biomedical engineering student Maxwell Chan joined Eaton’s internship program for aspiring Continuous Integration (CI) engineers. Born and raised in Vienna, Virginia, he was immediately enamored with VCU’s engineering school, particularly the program’s extensive investment in biomedical engineering as a subject.
“My grandfather was an electrical engineer, my uncle a software engineer and my dad an architect. Working with my hands, designing and engineering in general have always been in my family. When I was in elementary school, I remember my grandfather teaching me how to solder, my uncle teaching me how to code in Java and Python and my dad teaching me basic carpentry and building skills. With all these skills that have been given to me by my family, I already was in love with engineering. However, after taking a human physiology class in high school, I realized that my interests really fell into a mixture of both helping people by learning how the human body works and engineering solutions. That’s why I chose biomedical engineering,” said Chan.
This experience allowed Chan to lead a project that was heavily involved in a cross-functional group that focused on redesigning the entire production line layout from a lean manufacturing standpoint.
Chan’s group had one project they conducted research on, though it was more manufacturing focused. The team created digital video work instructions leveraging AI Large Language Model (LLM) tools to compile a library of videos meant to teach new hires how their building process works. Chan did all the editing, shooting and processing, and the rest of the group annotated the videos for the AI tool to show the manufacturing process from an engineering perspective.
“Working in a professional setting as a full time engineering salaried staff gave me an entire snapshot of what work life is after college. Just living it in general and doing the same work as a full time employee really gave me an idea of what it is like and how it will be after graduation.”
Being a part of this internship drastically changed Chan’s work ethic and way of balancing work and his education. Meeting tight deadlines and early hours have made him more flexible as an employee. In order to make it in the world of engineering, Chan insists that future candidates must be prepared to be uncomfortable and absorb as much information as possible from seasoned peers.
Wilfredo Rosales, Electrical and Computer Engineering
A budding senior in electrical engineering, Wilfredo Rosales was brought on as a manufacturing engineering intern for Eaton.
“I chose VCU because I loved the city of Richmond. It has a bunch of food spots and coffee spots and I enjoy trying them all when I can. I knew about the internship opportunities because my friend group was so involved, and also through different clubs like HyperLabs. But Career Services did make a good impression of the career fair during the beginning of the semesters. Ultimately, I would say my friend group was the one who influenced me the most to attend,” said Rosales.
Before his internship, Rosales was a security systems technician and believed he could improve those systems himself, promptly going down the path of electrical engineering.
Rosales and the rest of the interns developed one project together where they produced video work instructions. The group worked in close quarters, and not a day went by where they didn’t see each other.
Having the courage in a professional setting is crucial from Rosales’s perspective. Although he wasn’t sure what to expect at first, the environment is now second nature to him. The ability to carry out necessary tasks and make a significant impression stems from a student’s inner confidence.
“Be outgoing. Ask questions. Don’t hide from challenges. Face them head on. Don’t be afraid to fail,” said Rosales.
Rosales maintained that Eaton taught him how to work in a team and also on their own simultaneously to further progress the team.
The VCU College of Engineering offers innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs tailored to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving engineering field. As part of a premier research university, students are given the opportunity to perform real-world research in our state-of-the-art facilities as soon as they enroll. Browse videos and recent news to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.
Categories Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, Student Stories, Undergraduate Student Stories