Wednesday, August 19, 2026
For Victoria Landrón, a University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP) student, the field experience she is gaining this summer as a Project Engineer Intern at DPR Construction has been vital to her future career.
At her internship, Landrón’s responsibilities include conducting overhead quality control inspections to ensure AHCA standards are met and managing RFIs. In completing these tasks, she is able to reach parts of the industry that she can’t learn in the classroom.
“The most challenging part has been confronting the sheer volume of things I just don’t know yet,” Landrón said. “Rinker does a phenomenal job giving us the tools we need to succeed, but construction is an industry where field experience is irreplaceable.”
Landrón is on track to graduate in May 2027 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. Her long-term career goal is to become a superintendent specializing in healthcare construction. She wants to lead a team on a major, ground-up medical project and eventually build out entire healthcare campuses.
Her supervisor, Aishwarya Shinde, DPR Construction Intern Champ, has watched Landrón learn and grow her skills during the summer.
“It’s been great to see her grow and get hands-on experience throughout her internship,” Shinde said. “I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to support her as she learns more about the construction industry and continues to develop her skills.”
No two days are the same for Landrón, but the people on her team support each other through difficult moments.
“In this industry, you’re constantly reacting to unexpected changes and putting out daily fires. But no matter how chaotic or challenging a situation gets, I can always count on the team to tackle it with a sense of humor. Having mentors and colleagues who can make you laugh through the stressful moments makes the hard work incredibly rewarding, and it has made me feel like a true part of the team.”
As a DCP student, Landrón gained a strong technical foundation in plan reading and understanding complex electrical systems. She also built up her communication skills, which gave her the confidence to speak effectively with industry professionals.
On campus, Landrón is part of organizations such as the DCP Ambassadors and Rinker Women in Construction.
Her favorite and most memorable class was Soils and Concrete with Dr. Muszynski, where she was able to develop a strong, practical understanding of the fundamental principles behind both materials.
Landrón plans to apply what she learned at DPR Construction when she returns to campus for her final year.
“In the classroom, you learn the theories, formulas and ideal schedules. But being on-site shows you the reality of managing manpower, logistics and material lead times. Seeing how project managers and superintendents coordinate subcontractors and adapt to field changes in real time has completely changed how I look at my coursework. I’m heading back to Rinker with a new perspective that will make my classes click on a deeper level.”
This internship has been a great way for Landrón to dive headfirst into the construction industry. Her supervisor is excited for what it will lead her to.
“Internships are a great way to learn outside of the classroom, and I hope her time here has given her a better understanding of the different sides of the industry and the many opportunities out there. I’m excited to see where she goes from here and how she continues to grow from the experience she’s gained! I wish her all the best and officially welcome her to the construction world!” said Shinde.
Landrón’s time at DCP has played a major role in the professional she is today. Gaining hands-on experience made her realize her passion for construction. She says that anyone considering DCP should give it a shot.
“The resources, support, and community here help you figure out quickly whether it’s the right path for you, and if it is, you’ll be surrounded by people who are just as passionate and driven as you are.”
Bonus Q&A with Victoria Landrón
Q: What’s the most fascinating thing that has happened at your internship that would interest someone not in your field?
A: Our current project is a renovation, which means it is incredibly demolition-heavy. Even though I arrived at the internship after the initial teardown was complete, the sheer scale of it still impacts our daily work. To put it into perspective, our project superintendent, Mark Ginsberg, told me that the total amount of concrete demoed out of the building was the equivalent weight of seven and a half African elephants!
Even now, we are managing the ripple effects of that demo, including updating architectural plans and redesigning the complex MEP systems to weave into newly opened-up spaces. It’s fascinating to see how a teardown like that affects every step of the rebuilding process.
Q: What has been your favorite memory at DCP and why?
A: A highlight of my time at Rinker would be making concrete in Dr. Muszynski’s class. We definitely got our hands (and shoes) a little messy! It surprisingly turned into a bit of an upper-body workout, but working with my team to get the job done made it a highlight.
Q: How important is the DCP network of graduates across the globe?
A: Incredibly important! I recently traveled to New York with the Rinker School of Construction to celebrate the DCP college centennial with a wonderful group of alumni and benefactors. It was amazing to see just how strong the UF alumni network is, even all the way across the country. The passion that both the alumni and faculty have for Rinker is unmatched. It is truly a phenomenal program.
A massive highlight of the trip was getting to tour two active construction sites in the city: a high-end residential condo project and a complex higher education facility. Walking those sites back-to-back really highlighted the massive differences in how these sectors operate—from the fast-paced, high-finish demands of luxury residential to the highly specialized, strict structural and mechanical requirements of institutional builds.
Getting out of the classroom and seeing the exact concepts we’ve been studying come to fruition in the real world was incredible.
