Women in Construction Week Spotlight: From Intern to Project Engineer

As we continue our Women in Construction Week celebration, W. M. Jordan Company is proud to highlight two young professionals whose journeys reflect the power of hands-on experience, mentorship, and confidence in the field. Former WMJ interns Marissa Avalos and Evelyn Zazocoteco have transitioned from college students to full-time project engineers—bringing energy, curiosity, and a passion for building to their teams.

Marissa Avalos — Taking Her Office and Field Experience to the Next Level

A graduate of Virginia Tech’s Myers-Lawson School of Construction, Marissa Avalos describes her transition from intern to full-time project engineer as exciting, a natural next step after two summers with WMJ. Her first internship focused on learning how the construction process works in the office, while her second placed her in the field, giving her a well-rounded foundation before graduation.

“College gave me a great base,” she says, “but the hands-on experience—working with trade partners, seeing how relationships drive this business—taught me the most.”

Now assigned to a new project in Blacksburg, Virginia, Marissa enjoys the balance her role provides: time in the field, time in the office, and the chance to see a project both on paper and in real life. Her day-to-day includes reviewing submittals, coordinating with trade partners, preparing for key project milestones, turning over samples, and ensuring owners receive exactly what they expect. Her bilingual skills have also been an asset to her teams, and she looks forward to continuing to use them.

Marissa credits her fellow project engineers and younger team members—along with mentors like Logan Hall—for supporting her growth and sharing lessons learned.

Her advice for young women entering the industry: “Have the confidence to ask questions. Don’t feel intimidated. The best way to grow is to learn.”

Evelyn Zazocoteco — From Family Framing Work to Large-Scale Projects

For Evelyn Zazocoteco, construction has always been part of life. Growing up working alongside her father, who owns a residential framing company, she loved watching empty lots transform into homes. “Construction feels like real-life Legos,” she says—just more complex.

That early exposure inspired her to pursue a degree in Construction Science and Management at Clemson University, where she discovered her passion for larger, more complex projects. Evelyn joined WMJ as a summer intern and continued part-time during the school year, working onsite at a large multifamily project. Her responsibilities included toolbox talks, detailed reporting to support her team, weekly meeting minutes, and bilingual communication with trade partners.

Since joining full-time in January 2026, Evelyn has been working closely with Project Manager Chet Bednar in the Greenville office. Her work now includes schedule updates, RFIs, submittals, material logs and closeout documents. Evelyn, who became a certified drone pilot while at Clemson, is also working with fellow drone pilots Charlie Bertalan and Chet Bednar out of our Greenville office. Organized and detail-oriented, she gravitates toward the project management side of construction and enjoys the mix of office and field work.

Evelyn credits the entire Greenville office for supporting her transition and helping her grow quickly as a young professional.

Her advice for women entering the field: “Get involved. Organizations like NAWIC, ABC, and AGC are great places for young professionals to build confidence, community, and industry knowledge.”

Marissa and Evelyn’s stories reflect the growing presence and impact of women in the industry, and we’re proud to celebrate their achievements during Women in Construction Week.