More than 250 people are working on the construction of the , including George Mason 麻豆国产 senior Leslie Hernandez.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 my way of giving back to my school and community,鈥 said Hernandez, who is majoring in in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC).
Hernandez has had four internships with since her senior year of high school and has previously worked on projects such as the Amazon headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. 聽
鈥淭he Amazon headquarters project was really special to me because it was the first project that I got to see full circle from when it was just a pile of concrete up to the final product,鈥 said Hernandez.聽
At Fuse, Hernandez is focused on field operations. 鈥淚鈥檓 like the middleman between the architect and the general contractor, working with inspectors, owners, and trade partners,鈥 the聽 student said.聽聽
For Hernandez, the highlight of the summer was working and bonding with her colleagues. 鈥淭he labor force on a construction site is composed of a good percentage of Hispanic or Latino individuals, and I identify as both of those. Because of this, I was able to create meaningful bonds with individuals as we engaged in day-to-day conversations about the work we do,鈥 she said.聽
Hernandez says engineering professor is also a huge source of inspiration. She shared her background with the CEC professor during office hours, where they bonded over their respective experiences.聽
鈥淚 feel like I'm able to see myself in her,鈥 said Hernandez, first generation college student originally from El Salvador. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a representation of what鈥檚 possible for me. She told me that one of the reasons why she does what she does is to be that representation for Hispanic and Latina women.聽
This admiration is a two-way street, said Gonz谩lez-Due帽as. 鈥淚 aim for my students to learn and feel inspired, but I am often inspired by and learning from their questions and perspectives as well,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淲hat stands out the most about Leslie is that she always relates the concepts taught in class to her own internship experience,鈥 said Gonz谩lez-Due帽as. 鈥淭his not only allows her to put concepts into action, but also helps her classmates by providing real-world examples that illustrate abstract ideas.鈥澛

Alongside her internship position, Hernandez has also been working part-time for Clark Construction for the past two years. During the summer, the internship and part-time position responsibilities merge.聽
鈥淭hey offered me the position, which is great because it allows me to gain experience in my field while I鈥檓 going to school. They鈥檝e been very flexible with my class schedule as well,鈥 said Hernandez.聽
鈥淲hen I first started working at Clark Construction, everyone would encourage me even though they didn鈥檛 even really know me yet,鈥 said Hernandez. 鈥淚鈥檓 so glad to have this background and experience in the construction industry because I do see myself in this industry later on.鈥澛
Hernandez says the only thing she鈥檚 more dedicated to than construction is family. 鈥淚 have two little sisters and a little brother and I'm trying to not only set a good example but open doors for them so they see that anything is possible,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淚 feel such a sense of pride because I鈥檓 leaving a little piece of myself in every project.鈥疧nce the Fuse building is done, I'm forever going to be part of that project and my school.鈥澛
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