Page 16 - Graypvine October 2020

Field Inset: Jenna's rabbit, Virginia.
Project Engineer Jenna Brey.
Focus

“When I got my project assignment as an intern
with Gray, I had no idea I would be traveling as far
as I did,” recalled Jenna Brey, who is now a Project
Engineer. “I come from a small town in Kentucky and
went to an even smaller college town two hours from
home. For my internship, I was going to be traveling
12 hours to Virginia, a state I had never been to, and I
would be completely by myself for the first time in my
life. Saying I was nervous is an understatement. But
16 the second I stepped on site, I knew I wasn’t alone.”
Jenna, who has now been with Gray full time for
nine months, first heard about the company during a
recruiting event during her senior year at Murray State
University, which led her to apply for an internship.
Earlier this year, she graduated with a degree in Civil
Engineering Technology. on different projects, and at
Jenna was drawn to the construction field for a different points in our lives but
few`reasons. the connections and bonds we
“The construction industry will never stop growing. made with each other will last a lifetime. Maruchan will
There will always be opportunities to excel in your always hold a special place in my heart as the project
career, expand your knowledge, and grow as an that kick started my career.”
individual. Each project and each team will present Her time spent on Maruchan earned such a special
you with different challenges that will help you in the place in Jenna’s heart that she now has a pet rabbit
future,” said Jenna. named Virginia.
“I also like how each day is different. You will never Today, Jenna is working on the YKTA project in
get stuck in the same boring daily routine. Each day Madison, Alabama.
you’re presented with different parts of the project “Working in the field can definitely get stressful at
that need focus or different visitors on site or solving times,” said Jenna. “You’re constantly dealing with
problems with different subs. It can get crazy not subs, customers and team members that have
knowing what the day will include when you wake up, different mindsets and ideas than you. You have to
but that’s part of the excitement.” find the balance between work life and personal life.
After interviewing for an internship position at Gray, Adapting and moving to different cities away from
Jenna learned that her first placement was in the field family every project can get lonely. The one thing to
on the Maruchan project in Chesterfield, Virginia. always remember is that Gray team members will
“I was welcomed by the best first site team I have your back and will always be there for you. They
could have asked for, and an unforgettable office will help you through the struggles brought on by the
team. They all were always available to answer my field. They will become your family away from home,
questions, presented me with tasks and challenges and they will give you the resources you need to
that contributed to my learning, and really took succeed. If they can’t help you directly, they will give
me under their wings on this crazy adventure of a you connections to people who can. We’re all here to
summer. Here we are over a year later, and I still call achieve a common goal and it’s better when we're all
and text them regularly. We are all in different states, in it together.”