Britney Calucag: Constructing LMU’s New Life Sciences Building

Over the course of just a few months, recent civil engineering graduate Britney Calucag has gone from sitting in LMU’s classrooms, to building them. Following an internship with C.W. Driver of Pasadena, Calif., the engineering firm contracted by LMU to construct their new multi-million dollar Life Sciences building, Britney was offered a full-time job as Project Manager.

“I feel really blessed for this opportunity. I was able to serve as an intern during the early construction, and now I have a job helping to build the new building,” Britney said. “LMU has done so much for me and it is an honor to get to use my degree to construct a building on campus.”

Britney says she initially came across the internship opportunity at a Science and Engineering job fair sponsored by the Engineering program. Her summer internship led to a yearlong internship, and then a full-time job offer.

“LMU’s engineering program does a really good job of paving way for post-grad life,” Britney said.

Britney, who hails from Honolulu, Hawaii, says that everyone at C.W. Driver has been like a mentor to her, helping her successfully transition from college-life to the real world.

For her internship, Britney read through the requests for information – RFIs – that came to the building site; she reviewed subcontractors’ questions and issues that needed to be clarified; and reviewed product data and installation submittals. “I saw what I was learning in the classroom being applied to the Life Sciences building,” she said.

By then, Britney, fascinated with the building process, wanted to continue working with C.W. Driver.

She says the internship-turned-job has given her a unique perspective on how a career can be a meaningful experience. “I feel like I’m giving back to the LMU community, which has taught me so much,” Britney said.

In addition to her internship experience, Britney says that the clubs and organizations she became involved in at LMU really helped shape her as a person.

She was actively involved with Na Kolea Hawaii Club, Campus Ministry, Delta Zeta sorority and the American Society of Civil Engineers, just to name a few.

“LMU really values a sense of community, and I value that – it is one of the main reasons I chose to go here,” Britney said, “Incoming students should take advantage of everything LMU has to offer.”

Visit College of Science and Engineering’s website to learn more about the Life Science building’s project timeline.