Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Rising senior football player Troy Conlon, a business administration major, is helping to improve transportation in the New York Metropolitan area as a construction management intern with GFT Civil Engineering.

This summer, I had the opportunity to work with GFT Civil Engineering as a construction management intern.

GFT is a key consultant and construction management team in supporting Amtrak for the Metro-North Penn Station Access Project. This multibillion dollar transportation project will expand Metro-North service into Penn Station by constructing four new stations in the Bronx and improving rail infrastructure along the Hell Gate Line.

Throughout the summer, I have conducted field inspections, prepared daily construction reports, attended project meetings, and monitored contractor work to ensure it complies with project plans, specifications, and safety standards in an active railroad environment.

As a business administration major with a management and organization concentration, I was looking for internships that provided hands-on experience and the chance to see how the skills and concepts I learned in class would translate to a large project like this. Getting an opportunity to work on one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects in the region made this an experience I couldn't pass up!

The classes I've taken at Muhlenberg gave me a strong foundation for this internship. My Project Management coursework introduced me to scheduling, planning, and risk management, while Operations and Information Systems helped me understand how processes and resources are coordinated to complete complex projects efficiently. My business administration classes also prepared me for communication, leadership, and organizational skills, all of which I rely on daily. Being able to apply what I learned in the classroom to a real world megaproject has been one of the most rewarding parts of the summer.

Something I've enjoyed seeing is how much coordination goes into a project of this size. I get to work alongside engineers, construction managers, inspectors, contractors, laborers, and representatives from multiple agencies all working towards the same goal. Being able to walk the active railroad construction is the coolest experience I've had on this project. Watching crews safely perform work around active rail lines has given me a new appreciation for the planning, communication, and teamwork required to complete major infrastructure projects.

This internship has given me lots of valuable experience that I know will benefit me throughout my career. Most importantly, I've been able to see and help firsthand with communication, planning, and problem solving, and the importance it plays to keep projects on schedule and within scope.

Not only has this experience expanded my technical knowledge but also my understanding of the construction industry to help me grow professionally. Being able to work on a project like this and knowing that it is going to have a lasting impact on communities is the most rewarding part of working in this industry. I look forward to building on this experience as I continue my career and all my future endeavors.