We are excited to collaborate with our interns, Raja and Steven, who bring their creative energy and background knowledge to the Charlottesville and Harrisonburg offices. They will be working on the structural engineering side of the firm and learning about design with steel, concrete, wood, and masonry. Raja and Steven have something in common…they are both curious and motivated. Raja’s curiosity towards choice of materials and design combined with Steven’s motivation towards the real-world, hands-on experience, will prove to be impactful contributions to our work here at Engineering Solutions.
Here’s a little more about them…
Name – Raja Saketh Yelishetty
Location – Charlottesville
Title – Intern
Year you began working for ES – 2025
When did you know you wanted to be a structural engineer?
During my previous internship in construction, I often found myself curious about the reasoning behind specific design decisions, such as why a particular grade of concrete / steel was chosen. I realized that I wanted to truly understand the structural design principles behind it. I’ve always been passionate about creating and designing structures, which ultimately led me to pursue Structural Engineering.
What is your typical day at work?
I do Engineering tasks based on project needs. I mostly do the things that were assigned to me like designing the Handrail, occasional site visits etc.,
What is the best part about your job?
The opportunity to work on multiple projects simultaneously, which helps me gain experience across different scopes. Additionally, getting to visit construction sites provides valuable exposure to how structures are actually built.
What are some of the challenges in your job?
Challenge I’m currently facing is getting fully comfortable with the software tools we use. I'm also working on improving my time management to handle tasks more efficiently.
Tell us about one of the coolest projects you’ve worked on so far.
During the Site Inspection of a Condo, I had to crawl underneath the structures to closely inspect the existing conditions and take photos. It was both fun and a hands-on experience that gave me abetter understanding of the structure.
What is your favorite Core Value and how do you live it out? “Pride”.
I believe that staying humble in how we interact with others, while being honest in the work we do, creates a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. I try to live this out by giving credit, being open to feedback, and always striving to do what’s right, even when it’s not the easiest path.
If you had to give one piece of advice for working with a Structural Engineer, what would it be?
I’m still gaining experience in the field, but I feel like asking questions and trying to understand the reason behind design decisions is a good working practice.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy photography, watching movies, and staying active by playing badminton and going bowling. I also like to go-karting whenever there’s a track nearby.
Tell us about your family.
I have an elder brother who lives in Dallas,TX. My parents both live in Hyderabad, India. My Mom is a Homemaker and my Dad is a Survey Engineer.
Fun fact about yourself?
During a road trip, I once convinced my friends to pull over on the shoulder of an interstate at midnight, in 20°F weather, in the middle of nowhere, just so I could capture a shot of the Milky Way.
What is your favorite restaurant?
I love food in TSK, located in Hyderabad, India. They serve authentic dishes from my home state, Telangana.
I also like Hamro Kitchen as well, located in Blacksburg Downtown.
Name – Steven Lewis
Location – Harrisonburg
Title – Intern
Year you began working for ES – 2025
When did you know you wanted to be a structural engineer?
I’ve known that I wanted to be an engineer for as long as I can remember. Over the years, my interest bounced around from Aeronautical, Aerospace, Civil, and Automotive, but always engineering. After working construction for the past five summers, I thought it would be a lot more interesting to see the design side of things. Structural engineering is a good way to tie in my previous work experience in construction to my engineering learning journey.
What is your typical day at work?
I am either shadowing Brian Koerner to see what he does day to day, shadowing one of the other engineers to learn more about what they do and improve my skills, or I am working on a small task that I have been assigned to.
What is the best part about your job?
The best part of this job is gaining real-world experience in engineering. College coursework can sometimes feel disconnected from practical application, so seeing how the things that I am learning are used in actual engineering work is intriguing.
What are some of the challenges in your job?
The biggest challenge that I have faced so far is inexperience with the software and adjusting to the earlier start time compared to my college courses. I will work to improve in both of these aspects.
Tell us about one of the coolest projects you’ve worked on so far.
I have only been a part of a few projects so far, but my favorite has been working on drawings of the Black Brothers rental property. It has been fun to go out into the field, take a bunch of measurements, and then turn them into drawings so the city can understand what’s inside of the building. This is the first major project I have taken on and has been a great introduction to the company.
What is your favorite Core Value and how do you live it out? “Pride”.
I believe that being hard working is one of the most important characteristics for anyone to have, especially an engineer. When you are proud of your work, it shows that you have put in your best effort to produce the most desired outcome. This instills confidence into the customer and builds the reputation of the company as a whole, along with your own confidence and reputation. I work hard to deliver my best work whenever given the opportunity.
If you had to give one piece of advice for working with a structural engineer, what would it be?
I don’t have much experience at the moment but some general advice I would give is to show initiative and enthusiasm in the work you do.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
My favorite activities in my free time are riding my motorcycle, playing the guitar, going camping, hanging out with friends, skiing, and going to the gym.
Tell us about your family.
I have lived in Harrisonburg my whole life with my two parents, a sister, and a dog. My mom is from Pennsylvania and she works for JMU in their nursing department. My dad is from Richmond and he started a successful construction
company.
Fun fact about yourself?
I am a Division One (club) athlete at Virginia Commonwealth University. I play on the Division One squad of the VCU Roundnet club and compete in tournaments all along the east coast. Roundnet, also known as Spikeball, is a team sport played with a small ball and a circular net, where teams of two bounce the ball off the net to the opposing team.
What is your favorite restaurant?
One of my favorite restaurants ever is Cuban Burger. The food is some of the most under rated in Harrisonburg. They have a great variety of burgers, a delicious Cuban sandwich, and their salads are loaded with beans, rice, meat, and sauce. They are located in the downtown area and are rarely busy.