In the summer of 2025, Tuskegee University’s Division of Facilities & Capital Projects embarked on an ambitious experiment — one that blended mentorship, innovation, and the energy of a new generation. Under my direction as facilities program manager, we launched the facilities management internship program, a 10-week initiative designed to immerse students in the complex world of campus operations while equipping them with leadership skills to last a lifetime.
From day one, I wanted the program to be more than a summer job. Each morning began with a goal-setting huddle, and every evening ended with a reflective debrief. These bookends turned routine work into a living classroom, where leadership lessons were woven directly into the fabric of the day. Trainees weren’t just observers — they became problem-solvers, strategists, and collaborators.
Our interns — Abira Bey, Lorcan Ryans, Logan Evans, Ryan Campbell, and Key’Wun — took on projects that mattered. They sat with the generation before them and learned about important facility job functions, refined and bridged gaps in technology, built and created our newest Olivia 2.0 facilities AI-powered, work order system — a chatbot for campus-wide work orders — built asset inventories and strengthened safety protocols. Every task was rooted in a real challenge facing the university, giving their work immediate value and impact.
Facilities management is often viewed as the quiet engine of a university, yet it demands agility and fresh thinking. The younger generation brought exactly that. They are digital natives, unafraid to experiment, and quick to translate analog processes into streamlined digital workflows in the following ways:
Guiding this program reinforced for me that mentorship and innovation are inseparable. By trusting the next generation with meaningful responsibility, we not only enriched their education — we advanced Tuskegee’s mission. The interns left with new skills, professional confidence, and a tangible record of impact. Our facilities team gained fresh insights, improved systems, and a pipeline of talent already steeped in our culture.
The younger generation didn’t just participate in facilities management this year, they transformed it. Their curiosity, technical fluency, and collaborative spirit set a new standard for what is possible when experience meets youthful innovation.
As we plan for the next cohort, the vision is clear: continue to create spaces where students can learn, lead and leave a legacy. The facilities management internship program has proven that when we open doors to the younger generation, we don’t just prepare them for the future, we build a stronger, more resilient Tuskegee University today. I am proud to announce that three out of five students in the program were hired to continue their working contributions on campus through a third-party vendor, ensuring that their talents and innovations remain part of our ongoing progress.
Tahja Ingram is the facilities program manager at Tuskegee University serving under Chiefs Solutions, where she works on capital improvement projects and construction and innovation initatives. She is a 2016 alumna of the university.
