Sample cover letter for Internship position at CH2MHill

It is with great enthusiasm that I write to you to apply for the Chemical and Process Engineering Internship for the summer of 2015. I am penultimate year Chemical Engineering student at X

Chemical engineering excites me because it is about creating systemic change and building efficient and sustainable processes. Within my chemical engineering studies, I am particularly fascinated by fluid mechanics. My laboratory project this year involved experimental and computational studies of multiphase flow systems. Creating visual maps of fluid interactions was extremely rewarding and fun! From our findings, we could scale up our results to larger systems. Scale-up, process optimization, and designing with a 'cradle-to-grave' approach make me most excited about chemical and process engineering.

I rejoice in my decision to study chemical engineering. The rigorous syllabus has made me a better problem-solver and analytical thinker. Seemingly ceaseless group projects alongside being a member of cheerleading and a cappella singing have taught me time management skills. My eye for detail that used to only see visual art now hungers for balanced equations and data trends. Working on global engineering during my internship last year, I became hyper-aware of the need for sustainability, and what industries were already taking action. I learned that creating lasting impact stems from engineering responsible processes. I understand the urgency for creating optimized and sustainable processes and will work passionately towards it.

Last year, I got the chance to work with CH2M Hill employees during my internship at X. I was drawn to the companies shared understanding that sustainability is multi-disciplinary by nature, a challenge to solve holistically. I respect that CH2M Hill is a voice of environmental leadership, presenting at conferences about the need for restructuring engineering curriculum and working towards sustain supply chains, amongst other important issues. CH2M Hill’s Masdar “Green” City and Crossrail projects interest me because I find human/environment interaction fascinating and want to learn how to maximize benefit for both.

Having worked and studied in three cities, I understand some of the nuances of intercultural communication. I would like to continue working with and learning from people of different backgrounds. Perhaps along the way I could dispel the myth that Canada is a barren desert of ice and poutine (in fact, we are curious humanists who eat lots of poutine!) In school, I participated in annual camping trips. Whether it was a kayaking expedition or snow camping, the common theme was to leave the Earth better than we found it. This principle sticks with me today, and I will work tirelessly towards it. I am ambitious and self-motivated, driven by a mission to engineer a more sustainable world.