Saxton Smith

Background

About Saxton Smith

I am a Civil Engineer graduating from The Pennsylvania State University in May 2024. I am a curious and hardworking person who has a vast array of experiences that has exposed me to both sides of engineering projects; the drafting, permitting, and overseeing construction that takes place within an engineering firm as well as the use, operation, and maintenance of these projects. Having a unique experience of both sides allows me to think critically about how suited an engineering project is to the end user as well as making thoughtful decisions to ensure that not only benefit the end user, but also the client and my employers.During my time in high school, I worked as a laborer for a local construction company. Here, I increased my skill set and work ethic through watching others perform their duties and mentors teaching me how to do things. A while later, I found an opportunity to work at my hometown Borough, which also maintained and operated the towns Municipal Waste Center. Here I learned the operations of a Wastewater treatment plant. Everyday we took samples of the effluent water to ensure it met standards, conducted settle rates, cleaning out the sludge press, and most importantly was ensuring that the plant remained sanitary and safe.Working these jobs also opened my eyes of conflicts that arise during the execution of engineering plans, and how some decisions made can affect the operation and maintenance of the projects. I find this experience very valuable as it helps to remind me that while I do have a commitment to meet the clients needs and requirements for a project, I need to do so in a way that makes the end product an efficient working environment for the people who will be utilizing it everydayDuring my academic experience at Penn State, I have pursued a specialization within water resources. This included taking water focused engineering classes such as Fluid Mechanics, Water Resources Engineering, and Open Channel Hydraulics. However, my curious nature wouldn't let me just experience the hard science and theory behind how to world works, I widened my views to other applicable areas of interest as well. Some of these classes included Wetland Conservation, Stream Restoration, as well as Dirt and Gravel Road Building and Maintenance.