Career Paths for Students Who Want to Shape Places
At Bolton & Menk, we take pride in being active within our communities, which includes welcoming students into our office. Sharing the spaces where we collaborate, innovate, and grow each day allows us to connect personally with the next generation and show them firsthand what makes our work so special.
Opening Doors to Professional Careers in Mankato
Students from South Central College’s Survey, GIS, and Architectural programs visited our Mankato, Minnesota location for team-led presentations on local projects and a guided office tour. The visit offered students a firsthand look at how classroom learning translates into real-world work.
Reflecting on the day, event coordinator and talent sourcing specialist Casey Erbes said, “it was an amazing opportunity for our leaders to present to the students and faculty about the different services and careers their education can lead to. Students are the future of our industry!”
Career Paths for Students in Wilmington
Meanwhile, our Wilmington, North Carolina team was all hands-on deck, welcoming 80 students enrolled in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Career and Leadership Development Academy. Split into two separate visits, students participated in a round-robin style experience to learn about land surveying, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and urban design careers. Each practice area led various activities to help students understand and guide their work.
The landscape architecture team kicked things off by sharing plan view maps of each student’s school property, along with paper cutouts of different recreation features. After a quick introduction to the big ideas behind landscape architecture, students jumped into redesigning their school grounds, using everyday items to represent trees, vegetation, pathways, and circulation around new recreation spaces. The hands-on activity sparked creativity while teaching students how designers balance spatial planning, real-world constraints, and the needs of everyone who uses a site.
“Being able to introduce the students to landscape architecture and planning and seeing the students faces light up when given the chance to ‘redesign’ their school grounds was my favorite,” said Landscape Designer Megan Machart.
Connecting Engineering Students with Real-world Projects in Des Moines
Twelve engineering students from Dordt University visited our Des Moines, Iowa office for a tour and the chance to connect with presenters Juan Ospina, Tanner Nielsen, Wyatt Klooster, and Zach Parsons. The visit sparked engaging conversations around local projects and gave students an inside look at the day-to-day work and career paths within each practice area.
“I really enjoyed showing the students the friendly workspace that I have in Des Moines,” commented Transportation Engineering Graduate Juan Ospina. “It was also gratifying to think, what can I share now as an alumnus that would’ve helped me when I was a student? By doing this exercise I was able to connect better with them and give them examples of how life after graduation looks.”
Designing Futures with Raleigh Students
In our Raleigh, North Carolina location, twenty-five students from North Carolina State University’s Department of Design’s Externship program came to visit Bolton & Menk. Lindsey Randazzo, Graphic Designer, coordinated an office tour and helped students learn about what design can look like in an engineering space. The volunteer team encouraged the students to seek challenging and differing efforts as it pertains to design.
“Being able to share the uniqueness of the studio and showing how we tell the story of complex engineering solutions that are making a difference in our communities was my favorite part,” stated Randazzo.
The engagement continued on campus during The Honest Studio: Design Talks, a panel event that strengthened our connection with North Carolina State University students. The event featured five industry professionals, including Bolton & Menk Creative Director Maria Raddatz, and sparked thoughtful conversations around self-advocacy, ADA compliance, and the challenges new designers face. Organized by Randazzo, the event focused on educating and inspiring the next generation of emerging designers.
Welcoming students into our offices is about more than a visit. It’s about helping them see what’s possible and reminding them that they have a place, a voice, and a future in these spaces. We’re proud to support their curiosity and growth as they imagine where their talents can make an impact.
