Front Row (Left to right): Zara Rahat, Aditi Raghavan, Fernanda Romo, Lily McCarn, Margaret Howell, Nell Chetrit; Second Row (Left to Right): Kevin Dharmaraj, Liam Harwell, Carson Thomas, Levi Luce, Sheel Chakraborty, Owen Blount, Bill Ke, Roy Ju, Not pictured: Fahim Habib
Stryten Energy recently welcomed 21 students to its Summer 2026 Internship Program. The company has interns working at locations across the company: 6 supporting the plants in Salina, KS; Columbus, IN; and Milwaukee, WI; and 15 working at headquarters in Alpharetta, GA.
Over the next 12 weeks, these students will immerse themselves in real-world experiences aligned with the fields they are currently studying. They will participate in team meetings, learn about Stryten Energy’s mission and objectives, and present a final capstone project at the end of the summer. Their work spans multiple departments such as Plant Operations, Engineering, Marketing Communications, Finance, Procurement, and Human Resources.
“The company’s internship program is an excellent way to identify highly motivated emerging professionals that bring fresh perspectives, current technological skills and ideas to the workplace,” said Anita Charleston, Director of Human Resources. She highlights how the internship program gives Stryten the opportunity to develop and train potential future employees and strengthen the company’s reputation at universities as an employer of choice. Anita explains how these relationships “help support Stryten’s long-term talent pipeline to attract, hire and retain top talent that can contribute to the continued growth of the company.”
Marketing Communications interns, Nell and Fernanda, interviewed several fellow interns to hear what they are most excited about as they begin their internship journey.
Margaret Howell
Human Resources Intern
University of Georgia
Q1: What drew you to the Stryten Energy internship program?
During her job search, Margaret shared that Stryten Energy stood out to her for its commitment to innovation and strong company values. She felt that an internship with Stryten would provide meaningful experience through community involvement, diverse project opportunities, and collaboration with professionals from various areas of the company, further developing her skills and career interests.
Q2: What led you to choose HR, and what do you enjoy most about the field?
Margaret aims to make a positive impact within the organization during her internship with Stryten. She’s looking forward to exploring the many sectors of Human Resources that spark her interest, including Talent Acquisition, Benefits and Compensation.
“I’m driven by the more people-focused side of business, helping to foster a strong company culture within, and supporting employees as they grow and advance in their careers.”
Q3: What stands out to you about Stryten’s HR department, so far?
After her first week as an intern, Margaret highlights the supportive and welcoming culture within the Human Resources department. The team promotes an environment where questions and continuous learning are encouraged. She appreciates the department’s collaborative efforts to enhance processes and increase team effectiveness in supporting the company.
Q1: What drew you to the Stryten Energy internship program?
Kevin first came across this position on Stryten’s website and was eager to apply his experience to the industry. All the way from Indiana, he was excited to relocate to be a part of Stryten’s internship program after speaking with the team. He views this opportunity as a gateway to explore potential career paths in the battery industry.
Q2: What do you find the most interesting about mechanical engineering?
Kevin explains that mechanical engineering is the foundation for all other sectors of engineering.
“If you understand mechanics, then you have the foundational skills to pursue other branches of engineering.”
He is drawn to the variety of opportunities offered in mechanical engineering and is eager to continue exploring these possibilities at Stryten.
Q3: What do you look forward to during your internship?
Beyond exploring a new state, Kevin is excited to collaborate with his team and work hands-on in the battery testing lab. During his time at Stryten, he hopes to make a meaningful contribution as his team introduces him to projects focused on batteries and other products. Through these experiences, he aims to create a lasting impact.
Kevin Dharmaraj
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Purdue University
Aditi Raghavan
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Georgia Institute of Technology
Q1: What drew you to the Stryten Energy internship program?
The Stryten Energy internship program stood out to Aditi because the job description closely aligned with her career interests. She knew this internship would fit with the concepts she learned in her coursework. Her experience in computer-aided design would give her the opportunity to apply her technical skills within the energy industry.
Q2: What inspired you to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering?
Aditi’s passion for mechanical engineering began in her childhood, fueled by her love for art and math. She found that mechanical engineering is a very broad field, and it provides numerous opportunities and pathways to explore, all within one major. When she discovered engineering as a profession, she realized she had found her true calling.
Q3: As an engineering student, what has your experience been like thus far, and what advice would you give other students interested in the field?
Aditi mentions that, at first, she felt intimated by her male-dominated environment in her engineering classes. However, after getting involved and interacting with her peers, she quickly realized this field was not as intimidating as it seemed. She expressed that confidence is an important skill to develop in this industry.
Her advice to other students interested in engineering is “Don’t be afraid to collaborate and speak up. Get the most out of what you are learning, as you are all on the same playing field.”
Q1: What drew you to the Stryten Energy internship program?
Owen noted that Stryten Energy stood out to him due to the wide range of opportunities within its finance program. Specifically, he sought an experience that combined corporate finance with various sectors, including data analytics and managerial financial projections, to gain practical, real-world experience. He hopes to figure out his likes and dislikes that will guide him a step closer to working in the corporate finance industry.
Q2: What do you enjoy most about finance?
“I enjoy observing the problem-solving aspect and the cause and effect, you can see the direct result of one thing impacting another.”
He explains that in finance, it is critical to understand how large data sets form small, detailed conclusions. This allows him to see how his work can lead to efficiency and improvements within the company.
Q3: What area of finance are you most interested in pursuing in the future, and why?
Owen is eager to explore the finance industry, with a specific interest in corporate finance and banking. Through this internship with Stryten Energy’s finance team, he looks forward to understanding the key factors driving the industry.
Owen Blount
Finance Intern
University of Florida
Joshua Liang
Engineering Intern
Purdue University
Q1: What drew you to the Stryten Energy internship program?
Joshua was particularly interested in Stryten Energy for its commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. He looks forward to learning how the company operates and views this as an excellent opportunity to begin building his career.
Joshua is eager to “move beyond the classroom setting and apply technical concepts towards a real-world purpose” and hopes to make a meaningful impact throughout his time with Stryten..
Q2: What is one skill you would like to build during this internship?
During his time working at the Columbus, IN, plant, he hopes to apply the knowledge he has gained in testing, troubleshooting hardware, and computer programs. He aims to strengthen his systems troubleshooting skills and put them into practice in an industrial environment. He is excited to carry these experiences forward as he begins his master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan.
Q3: What originally inspired you to pursue engineering?
Joshua knew from a young age that he wanted to be an engineer. With both of his parents working in the field, they became his earliest and strongest source of inspiration. When he was gifted an electronic snap circuit kit, his interest in electrical engineering truly took shape. Experimenting with different circuits and swapping out components sparked his creativity and helped him realize that this was the career he wanted to pursue.
