Summer internship has student saving the world from bombs and mustard gas

When Peter Marshall applied for his dream internship at a Kentucky-based company, he never imagined that it would take him to an exciting summer of emergency drills and deadly weapons, or that he’d be sent to Pueblo, Colorado to work on a military base alongside the U.S.’s strongest defenders; and he never imagined how much he’d love every second of it.

Peter Marshall

An internship can lead to opportunities any student would never have imagined for themselves.  The University of Akron’s College of Applied Science and Technology (UA’s CAST) provided Marshall with opportunities for professional growth through workshops, career counseling, and exciting summer internships.

Now finishing his last semester in UA’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security bachelor’s program, Marshall interned at Bechtel Corporation, a chemical weapons elimination plant in Pueblo, Colorado, from June to August of 2018. Bechtel’s state-of-the-art facilities are designed for the disassembly and demilitarization of weapons, including mustard gas from WWI, and is located at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot. The relics of the world’s deadliest wars are sent here to be dismantled, disarmed, and finally put to rest. Marshall is one of few Americans to see this process firsthand.

Valuable range of experience

However, that isn’t the only way Marshall helped make the world a safer place. While at Bechtel, Marshall collaborated with the on-base security team, shadowed senior team members, and even helped amend the “Anti-terrorism Force Protection Plan,” a federal document integral to U.S. homeland security. The work he did in one summer will impact U.S. homeland security for years to come, as the “Protection Plan” continues to guide the military and government in times of need.

Marshall said his favorite duty was assisting with emergency drills, planting “suspicious packages” for the security team to encounter on rounds and simulating chemical spills. Marshall never imagined that his career would require him to hide “bombs” around a military base, but keeping responders on their toes ensures a timely and safe reaction, if one day it’s a terrorist hiding packages instead of Marshall. 

“Interning at Bechtel has taught me to be adaptable beyond just an educational setting,” noted Marshall. “I learned to be adaptable in real-life work situations that will ultimately help in any career path that I choose.”

Using skills gained at CAST interview workshops, supportive and connected faculty, and one of very few Homeland Security programs in the country, Marshall laid the groundwork for a promising career in the CIA, FBI, NSA, or any other national security field. He is also considering a master’s degree in cybersecurity or homeland security at UA, getting him one step closer to his dream job as a top security specialist.

► Story by Karris McCollum

► Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lmc91@uakron.edu