All Good Things Must Come to an End
By Jacob DeSalvo, Office of Process Improvement Intern
October 6, 2021
As I am closing in on the end of my internship, it is a bittersweet moment to say the least. My time here at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has been one of the greatest experiences I could’ve asked for in an internship. Beginning my internship was a difficult process during the surge of COVID, and working remotely was a daunting task, but it was also a blessing in disguise because, without working remotely, I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of this team. I believe working remotely has allowed CDOT to branch out and seek out interns all over the state which opens up greater opportunities for those who aren't located in Denver.
Photo of Jacob DeSalvo
During my time I found great mentorship from my peer interns Ginger Kloska and Kelly Hanson, as well as Gary Vansuch and Michelle Malloy. At the start of my internship I was very overwhelmed due to the fact that I had zero prior experience in Change Management or Process Improvement, which led to the feeling of “drinking from a firehose” which Gary constantly described. During this hardship, I found comfort in working with my team and learning to never be afraid to ask a question, which helped me blossom and grow as an intern as well as an individual. Without this well rounded team, I truly believe that I wouldn’t have had such a wonderful experience during my time here at CDOT and I am beyond thankful for the connections I have made.
My main responsibilities during my internship were sharpening my web design skills and transferring the department’s website from Plone to Google Sites, which was a very large task that took me months to complete. This challenge allowed me to really dive into my limited web design experience, and improve those skills much further than I anticipated. I learned so much about myself during this project, and found a love for the tedious process of web design.
I can’t thank the team enough for allowing me this opportunity and encouraging me to push myself out of my comfort zone and grow as a professional. My advice for future interns would be to always be open to something new and never be afraid to ask questions because, as an intern, your first job is to learn. I truly believe I was able to receive the most out of my short time here and would suggest this internship to others who want to grow as individuals.