Marna Shipp, left, a junior concrete industry management major from Murfreesboro, listens while Charles Lambert, right, explains about the Atlanta-based Ernst Concrete company’s internship program. David Ernst, president of the business, also took part in the CIM Internship Speed Interviewing Day March 21 in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room. (MTSU photos by News and Media Relations)

The action was fast and furious recently for the 23 dressed-for-success MTSU Concrete Industry Management program students.

They utilized a speed interview process with industry companies seeking summer internship candidates Friday (March 21) in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room.

Representatives from one local and nine out-of-state companies seeking interns interviewed the CIM students in eight-minute increments for two, two-hour rounds throughout the morning.

Louisiana native Marna Shipp, a junior in the CIM program, called it “a phenomenal experience.”

“I met a lot of great people,” the Murfreesboro resident said. “I’ve been waiting for a blessing.”

A nontraditional student who is both a mother of two sons and grandmother, Shipp said she loves everything about the concrete program … “the professors, the way they conduct classes and help us grow to reach our full potential has been a phenomenal experience. I wouldn’t take it for anything.”

Brook Simon, a sophomore CIM major from Pleasant View, Tenn., said his was a good interview experience.

“I like the companies here. They are giving us good information,” he said before quickly moving to another round of interviews.

Tim Ketavongsa, left, safety director with Delaware Valley Concrete, shows CIM sophomore Brook Simon of Pleasant View, Tenn., where his company is located outside of Philadelphia, Pa.

Alumnus Tim Ketavongsa said it was a great event for him to be involved with as safety director for Delaware Valley Concrete of Hatboro, Pa., outside of Philadelphia.

“It takes me back 10 years to when I was sitting in their shoes, looking for an internship myself,” Ketavongsa said.

With his decade in the industry himself, the 2004 MTSU graduate said he “can give them a lot of advice for whatever direction they want to go. I would tell them to get the internship experience and pick what you want to do.”

At a table and seated in front of the internship candidates, Ketavongsa said he “could be more of a mentor to students as an alumnus. I would like to see them take the right path.”

Dezaree Rodriquez of Orlando, Fla.-based Prestige Concrete said she and commercial sales and marketing manager Kelly Stanton “found a few really good prospects who have the background and interest.”

Rodriquez said the speed interviewing process was new for their company, but one that was both a good and enjoyable screening process.

Nicole Green, CIM marketing and recruiting coordinator, said the internship event went very well.

“It’s a new format. I think it’s something that’ll stick,” she said.

Green added that internship candidates could have lunch with the prospective summer employers and also schedule further interviews in the afternoon.

“It’s a quick way to screen many candidates at once,” Green said.

On March 20, Atlanta-based Oldcastle Precast made offers for full-time employment to two CIM students, Green said.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

James Covington, right, a senior concrete industry management major from Yazoo City, Miss., shares his background with Renee Graham, human resources regional director with Oldcastle Precast during the CIM Internship Speed Interviewing Day March 21 in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room.