Sam is spending his summer as an engineering intern at Janicki. As a mechanical engineering student at Purdue University Northwest and originally from Schererville, Indiana, he is now working on his master’s, expected in December. Janicki is his first truly hands-on internship.

Sam first met Janicki at a Purdue Northwest career fair, where he was drawn to the range of industries the company works in. With his father as an aerospace engineer, he was especially glad for the chance to work on aerospace projects. After a brief conversation at the fair, he handed over his resume and received an interview invitation a few months later.

This summer, Sam has been working with professional engineers, primarily supporting process development and work procedures. Across his projects, he is given defined goals and the freedom to figure out how to execute, with active feedback from his team.

Sam feels like a real participant rather than someone doing grunt work, and the team is welcoming. They include him in activities outside of work such as mountain biking, and people laugh and smile while teaching, so knowledge-sharing does not feel like a chore.

Outside of Janicki, Sam is a part-time researcher at the Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS) at Purdue. Away from academics and work, he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and local events with friends.

Asked what advice he would give future interns, Sam said, “The hardest part is understanding your goal. Once you’re there, achieving it comes from hard work and discipline. You can achieve anything you put your mind to.”

Looking ahead, he hopes to continue in aerospace engineering, honing the skills and knowledge he built during the summer of 2026.

Written by Turner McIalwain, Marketing Intern

Are you interested in becoming a Janicki intern? Visit our Internships page for more information.