Ever since Otniel Castanos Marte ’28 took his first step onto Merrimack College as a student, he knew not to take his time on campus for granted.
“Being a first-generation student and also the son of immigrant parents, I felt the responsibility to get myself out there and shine as much as I could,” he explained.
At 12 years old, the civil engineering major arrived in Haverhill, Mass., from the Dominican Republic, not knowing a single word of English. Today, through his own networking skills, he landed what will be his third internship with the North Andover Department of Public Works.
“I could not have asked for a better internship,” he said. “I worked this past summer and during a winter internship. I’ll be back there working this summer as well.”
Castanos Marte said his interest in construction grew through his family members who work in the field.
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve been passionate about building things with my own hands,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be in charge of projects that turn a pile of dirt into a building or bridge that could impact millions of people for the better.”
Merrimack was Castanos Marte’s first choice for school for years, in part because it was the closest to where he lived. However, as he became more familiar with the College, he found something he couldn’t find anywhere else.
“I feel like Merrimack gives a lot of care and thought to its students,” he said. “I feel the faculty here wants me to be a better person and succeed in life. Merrimack has given me a lot of opportunities.”
As a freshman, he joined Merrimack’s National Society of Black Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers chapters, and the Steel Bridge Competition club after learning about them through the Involvement and Career Fairs. From there, he was able to network and interview for a couple of internships.
“Although I was not accepted for the jobs, the interviews did serve as a good practice for me to get my confidence up and develop my communication skills,” he explained.
Just before the end of his freshman year, Veronica Boure ’25, then a Steel Bridge Competition team captain, told Castanos Marte about a new internship opportunity with the North Andover Public Works Department. Thanks to his previous rounds of interview practice, he aced the interview and landed the summer internship.
“As Otniel’s career advisor, I had the opportunity to work with him early in his freshman year, and his motivation and professionalism stood out immediately,” said Laura Thibodeau, senior career advisor. “He was proactive about seeking guidance, getting involved on campus and preparing for internships well before many first-year students begin that process.”
Castanos Marte was exposed to “a little bit of everything” civil engineering has to offer through his internship. Some of his duties included analyzing stormwater samples, conducting daily worker inspections, designing as-built plans of domestic and commercial water lines and surveying for a new intersection project in town.
“As I got to learn more about civil engineering through my internship, the more passionate I became,” said Castanos Marte, who is also part of Warriors at Work.
One day, he hopes to hold a leadership position where he can split his time between office and hands-on work.
“I’m not really sure what I’m looking to do after graduation,” he said. “I’m deciding whether I want to enter the private or public sector. I do want to get a job that would allow me to pursue my master’s degree.”
