Ahead of graduation, Adam Algahimi sees that his journey through the Kiewit Scholars Program brought him more than just industry connections, hands-on experience and close friends. It helped tap into a more outgoing side of himself that he did not realize he had.
And, he says, it will make him an even better engineer.
“My perception of how I should approach engineering has totally shifted,” Algahimi said. “Four years ago, I was so focused on the theory, concepts and math. Today, I’m just as focused on getting to know people, building my network and making real connections.”
Of course, the Kiewit Scholars Program made finding those connections a whole lot easier. As part of the second-ever graduating cohort, Algahimi took on fresh challenges that felt way outside his comfort zone and (literally) helped him get his feet wet.
“During my first internship with Kiewit, they sent me to Seattle to do equipment engineering in a marine yard — I’d never even been on a boat before,” Algahimi said.
While the hands-on work was just as informative as he had hoped, it was the lessons learned from experienced professionals that lingered.
“At the end of my summer, my supervisor sat me down and said, ‘You're a lifelong student. Just know that no matter where you go, it doesn't matter if you're good right away as long as you're willing to learn — that will change who you are as a person and as an engineer.’ That was a huge takeaway for me that I’ll always remember," Algahimi said.
Algahimi continued his streak of trying out new approaches to his craft by teaching engineering to grade school students across the state with the College of Engineering’s Engineering Ambassador Network.
“Engineering Ambassadors really helped me discover my passion for outreach. Being able to break concepts down to their bare bones not only helps me understand the ideas better but builds a clearer picture for everyone of why this work matters," Algahimi said.
Algahimi will continue to draw from all these experiences as a graduate student at Nebraska, performing research under professor Jae Sung Park in the fall. It is a big next step for him, and even more evidence of his growth — growth he sees across his cohort, as well.
“Everyone is completely different than when we first started. Being able to grow together and make these lifelong connections is really neat," Algahimi said.
This content is sourced from
By Adam Algahimi University of Nebraska Lincoln
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
