Internships are often a valuable stepping stone to finding the perfect career. That was certainly the case for Emma Hunkus, whose intern experience with Hunt Valve in 2020 turned into a permanent position in 2022 after she graduated from Youngstown State University (YSU) with a degree in mechanical engineering.

“I really enjoyed the work environment and the challenges that the internship provided,” she said, adding that she highly recommends that college students try to get an internship or cooperative education job while they are at school to gain as much industry experience as possible.

Emma decided to pursue a full-time position with Hunt Valve after graduating because she enjoys working with her hands and doing something new every day.

“I work with a team of engineers to problem solve and create solutions to any technical issues we may have,” Emma said. Her day-to-day responsibilities usually include design work and modifications, material review, customer engagement, and contract reviews.

Emma’s most memorable moment with Hunt Valve has been delivering a presentation to the US Navy highlighting the research and development findings for a project she and her team have been working on for several months.

Outside of work, Emma enjoys running, which makes sense for a former member of the YSU Cross Country and Track and Field Team. While at college, she also joined the YSU Baja SAE team, where she helped design, build, and race an off-road vehicle. Emma also enjoys spending time with her family and playing with her dog.