Since childhood, Project Engineer (PE) Intern Synthia Kotamraju has dreamed of bringing creative, ambitious ideas to life through engineering.
“Growing up, I moved around quite a bit because of my dad’s job,” she says. “It allowed me to experience incredible cities like Seoul and Dubai, where I fell in love with the architecture and infrastructure. Even as a kid, I remember looking at those towering buildings and thinking, ‘I want to learn how to make that happen.’”
Her fascination with the building process reached a turning point in high school, when she visited an active construction site for the first time. As she toured the project and observed the strategy and coordination required to deliver a physical structure, “everything clicked,” she recalls. She knew she was meant to be a civil engineer.
After graduating high school, she began her civil engineering studies at Mahindra University in Hyderabad, India while seeking out internship opportunities. Over the next four years, she balanced her undergraduate studies with internships at a residential construction company, where she supported green roofing and solar panel setups, and a thermal power plant, where she worked on technical drawings and material testing.
“My internships taught me how important it is to ensure projects run smoothly while remaining cost-effective and sustainable,” she says. “I’ve loved learning about the process of building, solving problems, collaborating with teams, and watching things take shape. It’s so rewarding to see something that started on paper turn into a real structure, especially when it’s something that benefits the community.”
Eager to expand her industry knowledge, she began applying to master’s programs focused on bridging the gap between design and construction in 2023. After completing her bachelor’s, she packed her bags and flew nearly 9,000 miles to pursue her master’s in building construction and facility management at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).
“With this degree, I’ll be able to use my engineering skills to solve real-world problems and improve the way buildings are built and maintained,” Synthia says. “I’m especially interested in sustainable and efficient building practices because they support a better future for us all.”
Last fall, she attended the Georgia Tech Career Fair in hopes of securing her next internship. As she walked through the seemingly endless rows of company booths, one in particular caught her eye—Webcor, a company she’d discovered weeks earlier when researching major U.S. construction projects.
She walked right up to Webcor’s booth and introduced herself to Assistant Project Manager James Bicamumpaka, Outreach and Partnerships Manager Sharla Sullivan, and HR Specialist Dante Robinson, who were there for The Collective’s (Webcor’s Black employee resource group) annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) recruiting trip.
Talking to James, Sharla, and Dante immediately put Synthia at ease. “They were so kind when sharing details about Webcor’s projects, approach, and culture,” she says. “The way they described the internship opportunity felt like more than just a job—it seemed like a space where I would learn, grow, and be heard. The supportive and inclusive environment they described excited me to become part of it.”
A few weeks later, she interviewed for a spot in Webcor’s summer internship program, resulting in an offer in early January. On May 5, she officially joined the Reno ConRAC team as a PE intern supporting coordination, documentation, and site walks.
Nearly a month into her time at ConRAC, Synthia’s favorite moment is still the first time she stepped foot on the project site.
“When I saw how the different trades were working together, everything I’d studied in class suddenly felt real,” she says. “It’s an experience from this internship that I’ll never forget.”
This summer, she’s excited to continue immersing herself in the field and learning the in’s and out’s of delivering a project on a tight timeline through hands-on work. She also hopes to gain deeper insights into the strategic thinking that drives project decisions and of course, connect with her teammates and learn about their experiences.
Although her internship’s just getting started, she’s already realized the value of actively listening, asking thoughtful questions, and paying close attention to others’ communication styles and problem-solving methods.
“Being curious and open to guidance has helped me absorb everything and grow in this new environment,” she says. “My primary goals this summer are to deepen my understanding of construction project management, strengthen my ability to handle field challenges, and grow more confident in my decision-making abilities as a future project leader.”
Outside of her internship and schoolwork, Synthia loves skating, painting, traveling, and exploring new culture and cuisines. She’s also enjoying her first time in Reno and frequents Lake Tahoe as often as she can.
“I’ve already visited Tahoe three times since moving here,” she says. “It’s that stunning! Every visit has felt like a reset. It’s made this whole experience feel even more special. Thank you to the Webcor team for being so welcoming—it’s really helped me settle in and feel at home.”
