Chris McMillan, a University of Texas at Tyler student and six-summer veteran with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), has been making waves with his part in the school's concrete canoe team. After securing the highest finish in school history at the National Concrete Canoe Competition in 2023, McMillan and company followed up with a first-place victory at the 2024 ASCE Texas-Mexico Region 6 competition, according to a TxDOT press release. Floating not just in water but atop a tide of innovation and unity, this intern's story signals a buoyant future not only for him but potentially for the infrastructural integrity of the Lone Star State.
McMillan credits his soaring academic and extracurricular triumphs to rigorous project management and team collaboration. "It was really exciting to make history at last year’s event. I was filled with pride and a real sense of accomplishment," McMillan told TxDOT, discussing the arduous journey from conception to completion of the vaunted concrete vessel. McMillan's inspiration to dive into engineering took root at the tales of his older brother, whose own experiences as a TxDOT intern propelled him into a Houston-based consulting firm. TxDOT's intern program has been shaping careers like McMillan's through its hands-on practice in practical engineering and project management, sparked from a single summer opportunity and stretching into a pathway for professional ascent.
The annual competition put on by the American Society of Civil Engineers tests student teams in creating canoes that defy the odds by being lighter than water, a feat accomplished through precise structural analysis and mix design. McMillan explained, "We have to work together to design and construct a canoe that is lighter than the weight of water," emphasizing the project's demand for teamwork and engineering prowess. TxDOT's program has been a crucible for such talent, offering students the chance to translate theoretical knowledge into tangible achievements, an experience McMillan regards as invaluable for his future.
With graduation slated for May 2025, McMillan has the horizon line of his career already drafted out. Sketching out his ambitions, McMillan aspires to become a licensed professional engineer with a knack for making bridges and roads structurally indomitable. "In 10 years, I see myself as a licensed professional engineer, hopefully at a TxDOT area office," McMillan said, setting his sights on a future where his passion for structural engineering can be fully realized. "I am fascinated with bridges, so I have learned about all the aspects of bridges. Learning what needs to be done to make them structurally sound," McMillan continued, reflecting his robust enthusiasm for his craft which he has nurtured during his time with TxDOT.
McMillan encourages those considering TxDOT's internship to take the plunge, praising its blend of real-world insights into contract development and software application. "It is a great internship to help you get started in the professional" world, McMillan attests, as he blindsides the challenges of each project, readying himself for the professional stage. His time at TxDOT, coupled with his academic endeavors, promises to lay the foundation for McMillan's future success, potentially steering TxDOT's own trajectory toward innovative shores.
