Work-Study Experience

by Lauren McLain

Patrick Estes is a senior in the Architectural Engineering program. His field of study is about the design of building systems – mechanical, plumbing, and structural. Patrick has been working in the Office of Facilities Management since June 2022 and works under the direct supervision of Robb Chock, Director of Mechanical Operations.

In Patrick’s role, he mainly focuses on energy efficiency in a building. He uses Excel to keep track of the HVAC equipment and the weather since outside temperatures affects their operation. After Robb assesses that a building’s system is performing inefficiently or is no longer code compliant, then Patrick uses AutoCAD to document the updated system design. Now and then, Patrick also changes air filters for the mechanical units. With onsite visits to buildings on campus and hands on experience at various mechanical and plumbing systems, Patrick has a better understanding of his textbook material. And the textbook information has also helped him understand better what he is looking at in the field. Patrick is learning that a building must be maintained within a budget, something which he has not even considered until now. Patrick attends project meetings as well as meetings with mechanical contractors. So, he is getting a wide range of exposure to real life experiences, and these will help prepare him for the workforce after graduation.

Patrick feels very fortunate to have found a job within his degree and to be treated as a colleague, rather than as a student. The work-study program is capped at 19 hours per week, but he normally puts in 15 hours. His work schedule does not impact his studies as he works around his classes, and his cross country and track activities are also not affected. We in the Facilities department are also very fortunate to have Patrick working with us as he is passionate about his tasks and enjoys learning while doing them. One of his fond memories is when he first started work and was taken down to a utility tunnel to identify signage for safety and exits. This tunnel is a 2-mile loop under the campus and has 3 passages under Cooper Street. If you see Patrick around campus, say “hi” to him. And if you have any questions about the work-study program, then he would love to tell you more about his experience.