How to Land an Amazing Internship
Student Guest Blog by Ashley Cathon 

As a rising junior in the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and the professional engagement chair for the Daytona Beach chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), I just completed a three-month internship at L3Harris, a defense and aerospace company with 48,000 employees in over 100 countries.

I worked as a Systems Integration and Test Engineer at the L3Harris campus in Palm Bay, Florida, where I was part of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) team that addressed and verified requirements for a multi-million-dollar missile defense agency program.

The experience has not only deepened my understanding of the aerospace and defense industry but also highlighted L3Harris's commitment to talent and fostering innovation on a global scale.

How did I end up working at such a fantastic company this summer? I have to thank Embry-Riddle and SWE for that.

I attended my first SWE meeting in my first year, fell in love with the club and have attended every meeting since. Beyond finding people who share my love of engineering, SWE also offers us the chance to help the community by empowering girls and young women to get more involved with STEM.

As part of the SWE group from the Daytona Beach Campus, I went to SWE’s 2023 Conference in Los Angeles, where I got 13 internship offers! I was grateful for each and every offer, and that’s where I decided to work at L3Harris this summer.

That conference and other events I have been part of through SWE taught me that you need to bring energy and passion when speaking to recruiters because they love to see what you care about and what you can bring to the table.

I also learned it was important to go to every single resume workshop that is available because the more advice you get, the better.

I am very thankful for my technical report writing teacher, Dr. Tanya Darlington, who helped me with my resume and with bringing confidence to the table. She was always willing to make time for me when I needed help or advice on anything related to effective writing and communication styles.

I am also grateful to my fellow SWE members because one of the great things about a student chapter like this is building friendships that can last forever.

An Extraordinary Way to Spend the Summer

My time at L3Harris has expanded my knowledge and helped me build a diverse network of connections. The internship offered various opportunities, including resume workshops, LinkedIn profile reviews, engaging tours and informative educational sessions, each contributing significantly to my professional development.

I was able to learn and broaden my perspective on the variety of roles a Mechanical Engineer is capable of filling. Visiting various buildings at the Palm Bay campus greatly expanded my understanding of L3Harris's scope and impact. It became clear how many projects the company manages and the extensive customer base that relies on their solutions.

During my time in the GMD program, I contributed to verification planning and developing transportation requirements. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with test and mechanical engineers to tackle challenges related to packaging, shock and vibration requirements.

I also gained valuable skills that I am ready to apply in my academic studies and throughout my career. I was able to gain knowledge and work with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), and DOORS which has provided me with skills that will be beneficial for my future.

Another valuable lesson was the importance of speaking up and thinking outside the box. This skill will serve me throughout my career, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to develop it. Whether it was speaking to my boss, my peer mentor or my task line manager, everyone offered new ways to improve my professional goals and communication.

Taking a Giant Leap Toward My Future

This internship has revealed the extensive range of career opportunities available to Mechanical Engineers, whether involving hands-on tasks or computer-based work, and it’s clarified my career goal of becoming a Systems Integration and Test Engineer.

This role will balance hands-on and computer-based work, aligning perfectly with my interests.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity with L3Harris and will always treasure the memories and skills I acquired during this experience. It also made me realize how hard I need to work in school to get my degree and how important my work with SWE is.

I learned that every opportunity to get your name out there can bring you one step closer to reaching your dream. It can be as simple as saying “good morning” to someone and making a connection that will change your life.

This summer also made me realize how important it is to speak up when you see something going wrong. One small mistake could have a major impact on the future outcome of any project.

I was able to get multiple life lessons that I am grateful to be able to use in the future!

Why SWE Stands Out for Students

The role of professional engagement chair requires me to reach out to engineering and aerospace companies and have them come in, connect with our members and help them find internships and full-time job opportunities.

For the upcoming 2024-25 school year, I have arranged for these companies to come in and connect with us: NASA, Safar Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and also Bert Zevzavadjian from LinkedIn, who will help SWE members set up their profiles.

This is just one more way SWE makes a difference for its members and one more reason I am so proud to be part of this chapter. If you’d like to check out SWE, we meet every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Student Union 210 (The Chamber).

Come by and find out more about all the opportunities we can offer you!

Solid Support from the Home Front

Finally, I have to say that while I am grateful for Embry-Riddle and SWE, I could not have accomplished any of this without the support of my family, who mean the world to me.

Each one plays a vital role in my life, starting with my mom, who works at NASA in the Astronaut Crew Quarters and really does not understand how much I look up to her. She is a hard-working mom who is caring and always willing to listen.

My dad is my role model, and he is willing to do whatever he needs to make me and my younger sister happy. He is the most kind and caring father anyone could ask for.

Then there’s my sister, Brooke; I know I can always go to her when I need a laugh and someone to listen to how crazy life can get. She is a hard-working girl and an amazing cheerleader who may never understand how proud I am of her!

It's been fun to share some of my experiences as an Embry-Riddle student, L3Harris intern and SWE member with you. I hope it has helped highlight just some of the opportunities available through such an incredible school and an outstanding professional organization like SWE.

I hope to see you at one of our SWE meetings this fall!