Jordan T. Tower - 2017 Steel Intern Scholar
It is an honor to be a recipient of the Steel Intern Scholarship. I would like to thank the AIST Foundation and the AIST Detroit Member Chapter for the numerous scholarships they have provided me with over the past years. The several generous scholarships AIST has provided me with have relieved the financial burden of college. The scholarships have not only been a financial relief but have also allowed me to excel in my academics. AIST has also provided me with the opportunity to attend the AIST Detroit Member Chapter monthly dinner meetings, which continue to further increase my knowledge and involvement in the iron and steel industry.
Along with the generous financial support, the Steel Intern Scholarship has provided me with the opportunity to have an internship. I chose to complete my internship at Steel Dynamics Inc.’s Flat Roll Division located in Butler, Ind., USA. It was a privilege to join the cold mill team as a mechanical engineering intern, which was an invaluable learning experience. I was given a large project that lasted almost the duration of my internship. The project consisted of building a maintenance program for select lines in the cold mill. When I first began my internship I had a general knowledge on what each of the production lines produced and how it was produced. However, the task of designing the maintenance program showed to be a tremendous learning experience. The maintenance program included several production lines such as the galvanizing lines, temper mill, batch annealing bay and the paint line. The development of the maintenance program allowed for me to learn more in depth about several production lines. I was able to learn about key components and crucial areas of each individual production line through multiple sources such as viewing detailed prints, working with the engineering team and production crew members, along with physically walking the line. At Steel Dynamics Inc. the production crew members had a great attitude toward the engineering interns and were more than willing to explain areas and components on their production line. Working with the production teams was of the most value for me in constructing the maintenance program along with increasing my knowledge about the production process. Additionally, I was able to develop my interpersonal skills by presenting group and several one-on-one demonstrations on how to use the program. The internship at Steel Dynamics Inc. was an outstanding learning experience that holds great value in advancing my career within the steel industry.
Although I previously decided that my career interest is in the iron and steel industries, the internship has further developed my interest. As I will be attending my junior year at Oakland University, studying a mechanical engineering with a minor in business, I will most certainly continue to expand my career in the steel industry. My family and I would like to thank the AIST Foundation for all of the financial support and opportunities they have provided me with to further advance my career. Also, I would like to thank the Steel Dynamics Inc. team at the Butler Flat Roll Division for allowing me to be a part of their team during my summer internship position.