2022 News

Intern Spotlight

Intern Spotlight
07.11.2022

Baker Group has a record number of interns this summer, working across all business units and departments. Here’s a chance to get to know them:

Frank Zhang

Business Unit/Department: Automation
College: Iowa State University
Year: Junior
Major/Minor: Mechanical Engineering/Nondestructive Evaluation
Hometown: Cedar Falls, Iowa

Why did you pick Baker Group?
One of my friends told me about Baker Group, so I did a bit of research on the company and spoke to representatives at the Iowa State Career Fair. I enjoyed meeting a few people from the company and thought the contributions Baker Group makes to their projects were extremely interesting. Particularly, I was interested in the automation and controls department due to my previous experience and desire to expand my knowledge on the subject. I believed Baker Group would be a great place to work at to develop and apply my knowledge.

What are you looking forward to most about your internship?
I am looking forward to developing skills, whether technical or non-technical (communication, teamwork, etc.) that I can apply in the future. I look forward to a lot of the fun events planned and networking with people. Of course, I also hope to gain some technical knowledge, such as an understanding of the function and implementation of numerous devices that the Automation Business Unit utilizes.

What do you hope to get out of your summer internship with Baker Group?
I hope to develop good long-term relationships.

What are your future plans/goals?
Succeeding graduation, I hope to obtain a job at a company that I am interested in working in. While working, I also plan to pursue a more advanced degree.

Tell us about your family …
I come from a relatively small family, with just my mother and sister living in the United States.

What do you like to do outside of school/work?
I enjoy going out with my friends, playing instruments and playing video games.

What have you done for fun lately?
I have been going to the gym more often and also spending more time outside.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Why?
My favorite place I’ve traveled to is The Great Wall of China. It was amazing to see such an old and huge structure and very enjoyable to climb the stairs.

How would your friends describe you?
My friends have described me as kind, outgoing and smart.

Alexis Ashton

Business Unit/Department: Mechanical
College: Iowa State University
Year: Just finished my senior year
Majors: Concurrent MBA and Industrial Engineering
Hometown: Solon, Iowa

Why did you pick Baker Group?
I picked Baker Group for the new experience in project management, and what really sold the decision for me was the company culture. When I came in for my interviews and tour, everyone made me feel welcome. The atmosphere was amazing, and I couldn’t imagine passing up the opportunity to work here.

What are you looking forward to most about your internship?
Right from the start, everyone has been very eager to help me when I have questions and teach me all I need to know when learning something new. I am most excited to expand my knowledge in this industry and grow mentally. The more I learn, the more confident I get in my abilities.

What do you hope to get out of your summer internship with Baker Group?
I hope to gain knowledge that will help me in my future career and in my everyday life. I am excited to see how this knew opportunity changes who I am by shaping me with new ideas and knowledge.

What are your future plans/goals?
My future goals are to become a Project Manager.

Tell us about your family …
I have a family of four — my mother, father and older brother. My parents live in Solon, Iowa, where I grew up, and my brother lives in Champaign, Illinois. In our household, we are a split family when it comes to college sports. Both my mom and dad graduated from the University of Iowa, while my brother and I went to Iowa State University.

What do you like to do outside of school/work?
As one of the Iowa State Feature Baton Twirlers, I enjoy coaching this sport in my free time. I love sharing my skillset and knowledge with the younger generation in hopes they enjoy baton just as much as I do.

What have you done for fun lately?
Recently, my roommates and I found a bunch of morel mushrooms in our tiny front yard, which led to a bigger hunt when we drove to Boone. We spent hours out there looking for more. I enjoy spending time outside, especially recently since it has been so nice out.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Why?
As someone who has traveled outside of the country many times, I would say my favorite place is Alaska. I have been to Alaska twice and it is nothing short of amazing. The vast wilderness, wildlife and seafood are just three reasons I love Alaska. If you ever get the chance to visit this amazing state, do it!

How would your friends describe you?
My friends would describe me as a caring, hardworking individual. I work hard, but also have a goofy side.

Ryan Farrell

Business Unit/Department: Electrical (engineering)
College: Iowa State University
Year: Senior
Major: Construction Engineering
Hometown: Davenport, Iowa

Why did you pick Baker Group?
I met Tim Kimball (Electrical Engineer) through NECA as a freshman, and he told me Baker Group was a great place to work. I secured an internship as a field helper and was all set to start May 2020, right when COVID hit. Most of my peers lost their internships, but Baker Group was determined to make sure I had a place to work for the summer. That dedication to even an intern spoke volumes about the culture here and is the reason I have worked here every summer since.

What are you looking forward to most about your internship?
I am excited to get into engineering. I have always wanted to be on the design side of construction so it’s very exciting to be able to sit down and learn from experienced engineers and begin to understand the process of how a buildings electrical system is planned out.

What do you hope to get out of your summer internship with Baker Group?
I am really looking forward to becoming more familiar and proficient with Revit and the modelling software.

What are your future plans/goals?
After graduating, I would like to begin working on becoming a professional licensed engineer.

Tell us about your family …
My parents still live in Eastern Iowa. My older brother moved to Minneapolis after graduating from Iowa State with a physics degree.

What do you like to do outside of school/work?
I live for hunting season and work with my bird dog during the summer months.

What have you done for fun lately?
I tried making habanero pepper pickles for my family. I remember my grandmother used to do a lot of canning, so I thought I would give it a try. It ended up being a lot of fun.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Why?
I was fortunate to travel to Palau. Not only is it a beautiful place, but it is also rich in World War II history, being the site of the Battle of Peleliu.

How would your friends describe you?
Kind, hospitable.

About Baker Group

Baker Group is a commercial and industrial specialty contractor based in Ankeny, Iowa. With more than 1,100 employees, Baker Group is the Midwest’s premier full-service specialty contractor providing mechanical, industrial, sheet metal, electrical, building automation, process automation, security systems, fire alarm systems, parking/revenue controls and 24/7/365 service. For more information, call 855.262.4000 or visit www.thebakergroup.com.

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