Growing up in Chicago, he admired skyscrapers and dreamed of a career in engineering. In seventh grade, the mentorship of a Hanson engineer at the Blessed Sacrament School science fair reinforced his passion for engineering. Nearly a decade later, he is moving ever closer to his dream of a structural engineering career as a bridge structural intern learning from engineers and staff in Hanson’s downtown Chicago office.
He is William Pittman, a junior majoring in civil engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. William is one of 37 students immersing themselves in the world of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as part of Hanson’s annual internship program. Each year, on July 30 – National Intern Day – we honor interns like William and his peers as they pursue their aspirations at Hanson.
Spending the earliest years of his childhood in Chicago, with its skyscrapers and unique architecture, rooted William in a love of civil and structural engineering. Paired with a talent for math and problem solving, that love – and a family relocation to Springfield – eventually led him to a skyscraper-themed science fair project in seventh grade at Blessed Sacrament School.
“My seventh-grade science fair project tested which skyscraper shape could withstand the most wind force. I designed different types of skyscrapers out of Styrofoam and tested them in a homemade wind tunnel,” William recalled.
That junior-high skyscraper experiment solidified William’s passion for the field and helped him advance on his timeline to becoming a full-time engineer. His internship with Hanson has propelled him even further down that path.
“The experience that has stood out to me the most during my summer at Hanson is how welcoming everyone has been,” he said. “Hanson attracted me because of the variety of projects that have evolved from the company and that continue to thrive throughout the U.S. and beyond.
“In seventh grade, a civil engineering career seemed so far away, but now it’s within reach. I am extremely glad for Hanson’s community outreach and investment in aspiring engineers.”
As someone who has stayed on track with his career plan, William advises young students with an interest in engineering or STEM careers to stick with it, even when it gets tough. “You may not get it the first time, but it will eventually work itself out,” he said.
What are William’s goals after graduation?
“They include working in Chicago or a metropolitan area as a licensed structural engineer,” he said.
To William and all Hanson’s other 2026 interns, we wish you a happy and prosperous National Intern Day and many successful days ahead.
