How Our Internships Turn Students Into Teammates

30 Sep How Our Internships Turn Students Into Teammates

Each summer, Thomas & Hutton welcomes a new class of ambitious students eager to gain hands-on engineering experience. But what sets this program apart isn’t just the work, it’s the fact that so many choose to return.

Since 2022, an average of 40% of interns have returned, either for another summer or as full-time hires. That number represents more than retention. It reflects a workplace where mentorship is real, growth is intentional, and relationships last.

Built to Grow: What Interns Experience at T&H

This past summer, 40 interns from 16 universities across the Southeast joined our offices. They weren’t just shadowing, they’re contributing.

From Civil 3D design to site visits, utility layout to stormwater modeling, interns work on active projects alongside professionals who want to see them succeed.  The program is intentionally structured to mimic the real-life experience of a T&H engineer where interns learn local codes, work on active projects, and present their findings to company leaders in their final week.

Ryan Brinson started as an intern in 2024, stayed on part-time during his junior and now senior year at Georgia Southern University, and is now gaining cross-discipline experience as he completes his degree. His story reflects how T&H invests in talent beyond a single summer.

For others, the connection begins even earlier.

 

 

“My very first internship [at T&H] was in early 2020 when I was a senior in high school at Herschel V. Jenkins in Savannah. I was part of their Engineering Explorer Post, and through that I visited Thomas & Hutton a couple of times and met some great people—Jason Chambless being one of them. I ended up asking for a job, and he gave me one.” — Dontavious Hamilton, Civil Designer, Savannah

Dontavious Hamilton later returned to T&H in the summer of 2021, after completing his freshman year at Georgia Southern University, continuing his journey from intern to full-time team member.

 

From Internships to Careers

Internship return and retention doesn’t happen by accident. With alumni from universities like Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, UNC, and Vanderbilt, T&H has built a consistent pipeline of emerging talent. Former interns have gone on to become full-time engineers, project contributors, and even team leads across civil/site, water resources, and land planning departments. Many say the transition from intern to full-time felt natural, because they already felt at home.

 

“Whenever I was searching for a job after college, Thomas & Hutton kept coming to mind. The design work here was something I knew I’d enjoy and find fulfilling—getting my ideas onto an AutoCAD sheet and working with good people to create great projects.” — Dontavious Hamilton

Katie Reed, a Vanderbilt graduate, joined the Nashville office full-time after interning in 2022 and working part-time during her senior year.

Katie now supports residential projects, including Southern Harmony by Del Webb, one of the office’s largest active developments. “That internship launched my career in residential—and it all started with just asking. If I wanted to try something, they gave me the opportunity.”

 

 

Peyton Stokes, a Clemson alum and 2022 intern, returned to T&H as a Landscape Designer in Charleston.

“I grew up in the area and knew I wanted to come back,” she explains. “I learned so much about rendering and technical design during my internship, and I knew returning would help me grow—not just professionally, but creatively.”

Now, she works alongside a project manager focused on Lennar developments. Peyton says one-on-one mentorship helped her build confidence and ask better questions, while access to colleagues with unique specialties has helped her round out her skills in tools like Lumion and construction documentation.

“It’s a great place to start your career, especially in Charleston. We have a tight-knit group of young professionals, and we make space to have fun too.”

 

Andrea Euler, a recent graduate of UNC Charlotte, also returned to T&H full-time after her 2024 internship in the Charlotte civil department.

“There was a family-like atmosphere, even at the job fair where I first met T&H. That carried through my entire internship,” she says.  Andrea credits her internship with boosting her design confidence and time management—two key skills that prepared her for a smooth transition to full-time. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. That’s the best way to learn and grow.”

For many returnees, the relationships they built during their internship made the decision to come back an easy one.

“When I applied, I got two emails from Emily Prange, SHRM-CP and a text from Jason Chambless within ten minutes. They remembered me after four years — it was wonderful. That kind of connection made it easy to choose to come back.”  — Dontavious Hamilton

 

Why Interns Stay

Ask our interns and you’ll hear some common themes:

• Real responsibility. Interns don’t just observe, they design.

• Mentorship that matters. Every intern is paired with engineers and project managers who invest time in their development.

• A value-driven culture. From Workflow Wednesdays to community impact events, interns are immersed in a company that lives its mission: Building Relationships and Solutions for Success.

The Class of 2025: Shaping the Future

This year’s class brought fresh energy, perspectives, and potential. With representation from 16 schools and nearly every discipline from civil engineering to landscape architecture, they gained a 360-degree view of life at T&H while helping shape the communities where we live and work.

A Culture of Return

Thomas & Hutton’s internship program isn’t just about filling short-term roles. It’s about building a long-term team, engineers and designers who grow with the company and shape the communities we serve.

Whether they return next summer or launch their careers with us after graduation, one thing is clear: T&H interns leave more confident, more connected, and ready to grow.

“Thomas & Hutton will always welcome you with open arms, no matter how long you’ve been away. When they see you again, they’ll greet you with a lot of loving faces and great people ready to help you succeed.” — Dontavious Hamilton

Interested in being part of our next intern-to-career story? Applications for Summer 2026 are now open. View and apply for internships at https://www.thomasandhutton.com/available-positions/

Do you have any questions about internship opportunities? Reach out to Zachary Vieth at vieth.z@tandh.com.