NICHOLAS ADAMO

CIVIL ENGINEERING

by RIKKILYNN SHIELDS, Assistant Editor

Nicholas Adamo, Manhattan College Senior and Civil Engineering major, knew early on in his senior year of high school that he would eventually take his talent to MC to study Civil Engineering.

Coming from Franklin Square on Long Island, Manhattan College wasn’t too much of a trip for him. However, he knew this was the best place he could study. This May, Nick will be graduating from MC with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a concentration in Environmental Engineering.

Growing up, Nick always enjoyed taking math and science classes. When he began excelling in the two subjects, he began to have an idea spark in his head that maybe engineering would be a good career choice.

Nick kept that idea in the back of his head throughout high school. Finally, during his senior year physics class, everything clicked.

“For one of our projects, we had to build a bridge out of balsa wood, which is extremely light. The bridge would have to be able to hold loads, such as textbooks, without failing or breaking apart. This project really sparked my interest, and from then on I knew that this was what I wanted to do.” Adamo said.

Not only did Nick know what he wanted to study in college by his senior year of high school, he knew exactly where he wanted to take his talents. He geared his college search towards schools that historically have had great engineering programs. 

“After being accepted to all of my schools and narrowing down my choices, I came to accepted students day here at Manhattan. I will always remember one of the first conversations I had here with Dr. Hourani, the chair of the Civil Engineering Department. He told me about the program and the success rate for the students who are able to complete it. The way that he talked so highly of the program made it seem, to me, that it was very family-oriented. He talked as if he cared about each and every one of his students, and he most certainly did.” Nick said.

“The civil department here is definitely something that cannot be replicated at any other institution. Because of the long conversation I had with Dr. Hourani, I came to the decision that I would attend Manhattan College, and up to this point, it is the best decision I have ever made.”

Although Nick enjoyed a lot of his engineering classes, he pointed out that his favorite class was Solid Mechanics with Dr. Hochstein.

“Solid Mechanics is pretty much a basis class for all types of engineering. It encompasses the understanding of a lot of properties of different materials that are used in construction, such as wood, steel, iron, etc. The class involved a lot of math, and a lot of thinking, both of which I enjoy doing. Along with that, Dr. Hochstein is hands down one of my favorite professors here at Manhattan. He makes the classes he teach fun, while at the same time very interesting.”

Not only was Nick dedicated to his studies, but he was also devoted to Manhattan’s Cross Country and Track and Field team for three years. “My overall experience at Manhattan was great. I would not have changed my academic or athletic experience for anything. As I mentioned, the civil department here at Manhattan is one of a kind. There may have been a lot of work throughout my four years here, but I know it was all worth it, and it will continue to prove it’s worth moving forward into the future,” he said.

Nick also mentioned, along with the hard work he put into his athletics and academics, he also had a great experience with an internship he took on last summer.

“Last year, I was given the prestigious honor to intern for Skanska, USA Civil, which is one of the leading engineering firms not just in the United States, but in the entire world.  I had one of the best experiences of my life working here, and I learned so many things. At Skanska, I supported and assisted project engineers, the project manager, and the superintendent on assigned projects. I also worked under direct supervision, preformed routine daily activities, and gathered and distributed information. Along with that, I also had the opportunity to be placed in a rotation program where I learned a lot about the different types of work you could do as an engineer.” Adamo said.

“The rotations included five departments: estimating/bidding of projects, safety, contract/risk assessment, operations and cost analysis. Throughout my operations rotation, I was placed on the New York Wheel project in Staten Island. This is a huge project within New York, and it involves the erection of a large Ferris Wheel that replicates the London Eye. The plan is that it will overlook downtown Manhattan and the Freedom Tower. This was my favorite part of my internship, and I really learned a lot about what I wanted to do as a career from this. Also, throughout my internship, I received a bunch of certifications such as OSHA 10, MTA, LIRR, and AMTRAK certifications,” he said.

As for a piece of advice for other students studying engineering, Adamo said, “I would have to tell other students entering the engineering field to work hard. Getting through the past four years of engineering, I know how rigorous and strenuous the work itself is, but if you put your mind to it, it can be done. I would also tell students, from personal experience, that it is much better to get your work done sooner rather than later.  Time management is an excellent skill, especially in college. With engineering, the work piles up extremely fast, but if you budget your time wisely, it will be a much better experience rather than waiting till the last minute.”

After graduation in May, Adamo will begin his job with STV Inc., a very large, well known, and well-respected engineering firm located in downtown Manhattan. Nick accepted the position of a project engineer. Nick has plans to attend graduate school, however he is going into the workforce first to gain firsthand experience as an engineer.

“I cannot be more excited about this opportunity and, I cannot wait to get started with my career after graduation. I am very happy with my experience here at Manhattan College, and I am very excited about the opportunities that I am going to experience in the near future.”

DAVE MERLINO

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING                                                     

by MERIDITH BRYANT, Contributor

The spring semester is an exciting time as students strip their winter layers and emerge from their dorm rooms back onto the Quad. However if you are a senior, it is sometimes a stressful and unsettling semester.

Dave Merlino, a Brooklyn native, is a senior mechanical engineering major here at MC. He will be graduating this May.

“Coming into college, I went into engineering because my mom kind of pushed me towards it and I figured, why the heck not? I just kept going with it and I saw that the degree could open many doors for me whether I wanted to do engineering or not,” he said.

Although Merlino will be graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, his plan is to attend law school. His application process has already begun with his main priority of Brooklyn Law School.

“I’ve always wanted to go into law. I just never pursued it because I thought it was just too much more money to roll out after four years at Manhattan College. But then I decided that this is something I want to do so I went forth with it,” he said.

After pursuing a degree for four years and deciding to go into somewhat of a different field, Merlino discussed how the law field and mechanical engineering field were connected.

“It is vey strongly advised for you to have a technical background when you to go into patent law so mechanical engineering works well with it,” he said.

As Merlino awaits his application responses, he had words of advice for up and coming mechanical engineers.

“A lot of coffee, a lot of patience, and become friends with the upperclassmen – they will help you out in regards for what to expect in future classes,” he said.

VINCENT TERRONE

CIVIL ENGINEERING

by TAYLOR BRETHAUER, Assistant Editor

A big part of senior year is worrying what to do after graduation, but civil engineering major Vincent Terrone has it all under control. He plans on moving to Houston after graduation to start a full-time job with major corporation Exxon Mobile, working for their global real estate and facilities division.

Terrone has been working nonstop since first arriving at Manhattan College four years ago. He started interning his freshman year and has been involved in all things engineering within the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

“What I found was working your way to a certain spot requires setting up your stepping stones to get there. I interned my freshman year with Central Hudson Gas and Electric, my sophomore year I was with Turner Construction and this past summer I was in Houston,” said Terrone.

But now that it is his senior year, he’s ready to start his full-time job with the knowledge he’s received here at MC. He is thankful for the number of leadership opportunities and unique experiences that have been offered to him and urges others to take advantage of them.

“Leadership on campus is really important. Find something you love and take it as far as you can,” Terrone advises. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”

Another resource Terrone is thankful for is the Mentor Program, which he believes has helped him get his foot in the door. He encourages all of the incoming students that being able to connect with students, alumni and professors is something that helped him get his full-time job at Exxon Mobile.

Soon enough, Terrone will be packing up and leaving NYC for sunny Houston, Texas to begin his brand new career with some really great memories.

“I’m excited for the change; it’ll be a very different pace from the New York pace but the culture down there is great. The people down there are really friendly and it’ll be a lot of fun,” said Terrone.