Avery Wade, Marketing & Business Development Associate
It’s internship season, and RJM is excited to welcome five new interns this summer! Nick Hartman, a University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Student, is joining our human resources team. Parker Woolf, a Construction Management student at Dunwoody College of Technology, is joining our estimating team. Sara Garcia, a student in the Master’s Engineering Management Program at St. Cloud State University, and Jack St. George, a Minnesota State University Mankato student, join our project management team. Aidan Thompson is an accounting student at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul.
Summer is definitely the busiest time for the construction industry, and we at RJM are excited to have additional help to support us with all the projects we have going on, both internally and externally. It’s always great to have extra hands on deck!
RJM Internship Program
While RJM has been interacting with students and providing mentorship for some time, recently, we developed a course designed to provide our interns with a valuable experience through both learning and making an impact on our project delivery. Over the years, by attending career fairs and being involved with various industry- and community-based associations, we have built strong connections with numerous students across the Midwest. Headed by Matt Buggi, director of project management, and Justin Johnson, director of preconstruction, RJM’s internship training program is a 12-week comprehensive course. It’s designed to expose interns to all aspects of the construction industry within RJM’s unique company culture.
RJM places the utmost value on interns for a number of reasons. “Many of our employees have been in the construction industry for over 15 years or so, and by introducing interns to our team, it gives us the ability to learn from the students and understand their perspective entering the industry,” said Johnson. While the students often give the RJM team a fresh perspective, their mentors are also developing their leadership skills as they work directly with the interns on diverse projects.
Our interns are excited to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world projects. Both Buggi and Johnson agree on their favorite part of the internship. “We enjoy seeing their eagerness to learn and how quickly they transform into contributing teammates.” The interns build the same passion and mission as current RJM employees: to serve the client.
Learn More about the Team
Nick Hartman
Nick attends the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and will graduate in Spring 2024. He majors in Human Resources Development with two minors in Management and Human Resources & Industrial Relations. His passion started for HR in his favorite Introduction to Human Capital Management class. Nick’s primary goal is to make the workplace fun and functional, allowing employees to excel in their work. He is looking forward to expanding his knowledge of the HR field and learning as much as he can.
Parker Woolf
Parker attended Dunwoody College of Technology and graduated with his Associate’s Degree in Project Management in May and will finish his Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management at Dunwoody in Winter 2024. He is eager to get his foot in the door of the commercial construction industry and excited to take what he has been learning in the classroom and put it to real-world use. Parker’s goal is to be a leader in construction projects to guide all the pieces of a successful project into place while staying within budget.
Sara Garcia
Sara is a St. Cloud State University student looking forward to graduating with her Master’s in Engineering Management in 2024. She is excited to learn as much as she can and contribute to the goals of RJM while simultaneously building a good network that contributes to her professional development. Sara is prepared to use her experiences in the United States to contribute to developing the construction industry in her home country.
Jack St. George
Jack will graduate with a Construction Management Degree from Minnesota State University Mankato in Spring 2024. He has participated in the Construction Management Student Association Events at school to help build his industry knowledge. Jack aims to find what place he fits best within the industry. Long term, he hopes to be a part of a team that makes a difference and wants to look back on the projects he was a part of and be proud of his team’s work.
Aidan Thompson
Aidan is an Accounting Student at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul and will graduate in 2026. He is eager to learn what it takes to run a company of RJM’s size, specifically around finances. Aidan aims to receive his CPA eventually, hold an accounting position, and ultimately start his own accounting firm.
Win-Win for All
Internships are mainly viewed as learning opportunities for students, but at RJM we believe that it is a learning opportunity for all our employees. The construction industry is fast-paced and constantly changing, and we welcome ideas that interns learn in their classroom settings. It is important to keep up to date with all the new technology and perspectives, and that is where the introduction of interns is so valuable. RJM is thankful to have the opportunity to work with interns each summer!”