ISG and Mankato Area Public Schools Partner For A Second Year of The Career Exploration Program

The Mankato Area Public Schools (MAPS) career exploration program returned in the spring, continuing to reach high school students and grow the partnership between ISG and the District. This year, 10 students got a closer look at architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) careers, building on the momentum from the program’s first year.

What Students Experienced

Throughout the semester, students got out of the classroom and into real-world experiences. They participated in site visits and hands-on activities, visited Minnesota State University, Mankato and South Central College, and learned about opportunities at North Carolina State University. These experiences gave them a firsthand look at how ideas move from concept to construction and helped them better understand the scale and impact of AEC work.

The spring 2026 site visits included:

• The Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic (OFC) expansion: Gave students a behind-the-scenes look at how multiple practice groups and key stakeholders come together in a complex environment
• ISG Field: Highlighted how design features and amenities shape the user experience
• Hotel Mankato: Looked at an in-progress mixed-use development and the level of coordination it needs during active construction
• Mankato West High School: Showed students how existing spaces can be transformed, with some getting to experience the site visit as a program attendee and as a user of the building
• Blue Earth County Public Works Facility: Helped students understand how site selection and previous facility conditions influenced key design decisions
• Agricultural Drainage Tour: Demonstrated how stormwater and drainage systems are designed, constructed, and used to manage runoff, improve water quality, and support surrounding environments

Student Takeaways

New this year, job shadows allowed students to spend time with ISG team members and experience day-to-day work firsthand.

“I really liked the job shadowing,” said Tyler Tilges, a senior at Mankato East High School. “It was helpful to see what a project manager does each day at ISG in the office and on a project site.”

The addition of job shadowing came directly from student feedback.

“Feedback from the year prior noted that students wanted to go deeper into their specific interests,” said Mariah Burroughs, ISG campus recruitment and development lead. “So, we introduced job shadowing to give them that opportunity.”

Students also built on their professional skills, including communication and interview preparation, helping them think about how to articulate their interests and experiences.

The program gave students space to explore what interested them most.

“I enjoyed learning how many different roles make up ISG,” said Brodie Cox, a junior at Mankato West High School. “It’s much more than just engineering, and seeing how everyone works together was really interesting.”

Hands-on activities reinforced those lessons in a tangible way.

“The structural engineering exercise with the spring and ball kit was the most impactful for me,” said Griffin Schott, a junior at Mankato East High School, “It gave me a hands-on way to understand how everything works.”

Others valued the real-world connection.

“I took away valuable experience in communication, teamwork, and the design process while also learning how architecture works in a real-world environment,” said Arianna Smith, a senior at Mankato West High School.

Impact

For several seniors, the experience helped confirm what they want to study next and where they see their future going.

Arianna Smith, senior at Mankato West High School

• Interests: Architecture, design, project management, and civil engineering
• Future Plans: Study architecture at Norwich University

Issac Ulman, senior at Mankato West High School

• Interests: Construction management, project management, and landscape architecture
• Future Plans: Study construction management at North Dakota State University

Tyler Tilges, senior at Mankato East High School

• Interest: Construction management
• Future Plans: Study construction management at University of Wisconsin-Stout

Logan Nelson, senior at Mankato West High School

• Interests: Civil engineering and environmental engineering
• Future Plans: Study civil engineering at South Dakota State University

Juniors in the program also showed interest in areas like civil and structural engineering, project management, and building systems such as electrical and mechanical engineering.

ISG and MAPS plan to continue building on the program’s success. The team looks forward to welcoming a new group of students in spring 2027 and keep creating opportunities for hands-on learning and career exploration.