Prairie State is excited to welcome Drew Rose as the Mechanical Engineering Intern for the summer!
Drew is from Waterloo, Illinois, and is currently attending College of the Ozarks, where he is pursuing a degree in engineering with a minor in mathematics. He will be entering the second semester of his senior year this fall.
Drew’s interest in engineering began with his passion for science and aerodynamics. As a student pilot, he has always been fascinated by how planes work and what aerodynamic principles connect to engineering concepts. That interest eventually led him to pursue engineering as a career path. “I’ve always been interested in aerodynamics and flying,” Drew shared. “It’s really rewarding to combine my interests and get to pursue that as a career. I also love to learn about thermodynamics and mechanical systems in school and then actually see those concepts in action here at the plant.”
Before joining Prairie State, Drew gained previous internship experience focused on the mechanical engineering side of his multidisciplinary engineering degree. He is excited to continue expanding his knowledge by gaining hands-on exposure to the power generation industry. Throughout his first weeks here at Prairie State, Drew has started working on a Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) project for this summer. He shared that the project has already helped him learn more about plant systems and operations.
When asked what led him to apply to Prairie State, he said, “I wanted the opportunity to see large-scale mechanical systems operating in a real-world environment. Getting to tour the plant and learn directly from supervisors has been a great experience so far.”
In addition to developing his technical knowledge, Drew hopes to strengthen his communication, teamwork, and leadership skills, while gaining a deeper understanding of the many different aspects of engineering within the industry. Outside of school and work, Drew enjoys running, hunting, fishing, spending time with friends and family, and continuing his training as a student pilot. He is also actively involved in his school’s Engineering Club, where he has served as both treasurer and secretary.
Drew hopes to pursue a career in mechanical engineering after graduation. He wants to make the most of his internship experience by completing projects effectively and contributing meaningful work to the Prairie State team.
We are excited to have Drew here this summer and look forward to seeing all he accomplishes during his internship experience!