Engineering the Future

When Lindsey Bush ’23 sees a column outside of a building she’s about to enter, she can’t help but wonder: Is that column structural or simply decorative? Bush also tends to notice the small cracks that appear in homes as they settle over time. And she is quick to identify a particular kind of reinforced concrete slab that is commonly used in large spaces like auditoriums. (It’s called waffle slab.) What makes Bush so attuned to details that many if not most people might never notice? It’s simple: The Cortland, N.Y., native, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in engineering through the College’s dual degree partnership with Syracuse University with the goal of becoming a civil engineer.

Bush recently completed an internship with Ryan Biggs | Clark Davis Engineering & Surveying, where she put her education to use doing calculations, fieldwork and drawings for multiple projects and conducting research on a variety of topics, including on fireproof building materials. She zeroed in on the idea of applying to work as an intern at Biggs | Davis after conversations with Emily Lawless, director of the College’s Quantitative Reasoning Center (QRC), and Fouad Dietz, director of planning and construction at Le Moyne. The company completed work on the structural design on Reilly Hall and it turned out to be “a great fit” for Bush. Not only did she avail herself of the numerous benefits that come along with completing an internship (exploring a career path, developing and refining her professional skills, building a network), but she also refined her ability to communicate effectively, think creatively and work as part of team. Best of all, no two days were alike. One afternoon she may have found herself in the office reviewing Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines, while another she may have been traveling with her boss to examine a cable that had snapped in a parking garage.

Throughout her time at Le Moyne, Bush has dedicated herself to making the most of every opportunity available to her. Her internship was no exception. She works as a tutor in the College’s QRC and participates in Le Moyne’s Stempower, Manresa and ERIE21 programs. She is also involved in the Le Moyne Makers, Engineering and Physics clubs. All of this has helped in nurturing her to become the person Bush is today, she says. Now she looks forward to carrying that same commitment to grow, learn and evolve in her career. And with the nation at the outset of a major investment to modernize America’s roads, bridges, transit, rails, ports, airports, she couldn’t imagine a more exciting time to enter the field of engineering.