This article is part of The Next Step series. While the four years at VMI are designed for cadets to push themselves academically, physically, and mentally to tackle the demands of life at a premiere military college, they also prepare cadets for life after graduation. Whether that life be one in the military or one in the private sector, VMI faculty and staff provide guidance to cadets along their journeys. One department specifically dedicated to that endeavor of post-Institute success is the Office of Career Services. In The Next Step series, we sat down with cadets preparing to enter the workforce after graduation, as well as those still in the midst of their cadetship preparing for internships over the summer. 

LEXINGTON, Va. July 20, 2023 — Owen Clifford ’24 first began his journey at Virginia Military Institute on an Army scholarship, but due to medical reasons, he wasn’t able to pursue that specific path. Instead, he turned to the private sector.  

“In the corporate world, having an internship on your resume from your time in college makes a big difference when applying for that big first job, so it was a logical choice for this summer,” he said. 

The civil engineering major from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, will be spending the summer as a civil engineering construction intern with Michael Baker International at their Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, office. 

Clifford sent out several applications for summer internship opportunities and received quite a few offers. He had to narrow down between the idea of big firm management work or small firm design work. He decided on a big firm work.  

“I decided to choose the first option because it was able to provide me more opportunities, experiences, and connections than my other options, which, along with the work I would do being more transferable, made it the logical choice,” he said.  

During his full-time summer internship, Clifford will help manage and supervise construction of several transportation projects like bridges, highways, and more. The job will also entail dealing with contracts with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. His tasks will be split between office and field work. Office work will entail duties like cost estimating, scheduling, meetings, and design calculations. Field work will include inspections, testing, and reporting. 

VMI Career Services helped Clifford through the process of getting an internship. First by reviewing his resume.  

“They analyzed everything I've done and looked at where I was applying and helped me format my resume to look the best and fit what my position was looking for,” he said. “They also gave me a quiet room to do my interview, along with interview tips.” 

Clifford said that VMI has given him the tools to succeed in the workplace.  

“Many things like discipline, time management, patience, grit, and so many other soft skills are just underrepresented by the average person today,” he said. “Additionally, I have found a lot of my values and long-term goals through my time and experiences here. VMI has, through its many systems, done a lot to help me achieve that which I set out to do.” 

His goal is to work in the engineering industry, eventually moving on from more entry-level jobs to managing a small team of junior engineers. He wants to get his doctorate so he can return to VMI as a professor.  

His love of engineering bloomed in high school. He also knew it would be a stable and reliable career option. His time at VMI has shown him what the engineering world means. 

“I love dealing with people: giving reports, attending meetings, discussing plans, etcetera,” he said. “This is not like the stereotypical engineer; however, I think VMI has helped me with those things.” 

With VMI on his resume, he thinks that will make a beneficial impact on his future career path.  

“I spoke about all I did and what makes us unique, and it seemed like employers were extremely interested in someone with the qualities and values of a VMI cadet,” he said. 

Laura Peters Shapiro
Photos by Kelly Nye
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE