Earning her wings: Engineering student finds niche in aviation

Myla Marve, a senior civil engineering technology major, spent the summer as an intern at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. She gained a broader perspective on airports, renewed self-confidence and a clearer vision of her career path.

A member of the William States Lee College of Engineering Leadership Academy and the National Society of Black Engineers, Marve felt called to urban design and development. She sought internship opportunities through the city of Charlotte, which owns and operates Charlotte Douglas Airport. Spending the summer at Charlotte’s aviation hub broadened her horizons.

“I have always been fascinated by cities,” Marve said. “But when I started this internship and saw the different departments that rely on one another, I realized aviation is its own city within a city.”

The experience

A senior, she saw firsthand the incredible amount of construction and engineering necessary to maintain and expand the nation’s ninth-busiest airport. 

“They’re doing millions of dollars worth of construction every day, which was mind-boggling to learn and even more so to see up close,” Marve said.

Walking with a resident project representative, she observed projects underway from HVAC maintenance in the concourses  to the building of a new runway in the dead of night, during the “eerie” third shift. 

The construction of a giant retaining wall to hold back soil at the south end taxiway stood out, because it was related to a topic Marve explored in a geotechnical and foundations course she took at Charlotte right before the internship. She got to keep one of the long soil nails used in the process. 

“For me to have a soils class and then turn around and have an internship and see what we were learning in real life was so cool,” Marve said. 

In addition to field work, Marve attended department meetings, which sometimes included the airport’s director of development.  Marve said these meetings could be intimidating in the beginning, especially when she had to take notes for meetings her boss couldn’t attend. 

In addition to the challenge of working alongside seasoned professionals, Marve was a part of a highly competitive cohort of interns — only two were from North Carolina. Many of these interns were already set on a career in aviation. 

“I was kind of playing catch up to all the other interns, because they were very passionate about airport management,” Marve said. “Before this, I had no idea there were schools for aviation management. So I did some research on general aviation management.”

Taking Chances to Find Her Niche

Construction is a field with nearly endless opportunities and avenues. Marve previously interned at a general contracting company, which offered her a job that she turned down.

“I took a really big risk,” Marve said. “I had a job secured that I declined. I said this isn’t for me, and I’m so glad I did, because now I found what is for me.”

She views her airport internship as a course correction.

“I learned that I was way more capable than I thought,” Marve said. “This experience honestly motivated me to want to do better, educate myself further and has definitely inspired me to go into aviation.”

Did You know?

The William States Lee College of Engineering, in conjunction with Charlotte Douglas International Airport, established a one-of-a-kind partnership, the Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute, or Charlotte AIR. The research institute is designed to explore solutions for the aviation sector and airport infrastructure industry through innovation and workforce development