CSE student gets to impact city residents, lights, and highways

Seana Ruiz is learning the scope of her civil engineering major

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (02/05/2026) — Seana Ruiz wanted a way to directly impact her community—and she found it when she chose the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering.

“Civil engineering affects everything around us,” said Ruiz, who received multiple awards including the 3M/Coleman Family Foundation Scholarship, the Al Johnson Construction Company Scholarship, and the Archie & Marie Carter/American Society of Civil Engineering Schools Scholarship.

Over a summer, she worked as a traffic and transportation intern at WSB consulting firm. Her varied tasks included designing urban lighting and writing a street lighting proposal for Brooklyn Park. One assignment even led Ruiz back to her hometown of Blaine, another suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

“I had the chance to work on a highway reconstruction project, to actually fix something in my own community,” she said. “That was very exciting.”  

On campus, Ruiz stays engaged with peers, industry professionals, and internship opportunities through student groups. She served as president of both the University of Minnesota American Society of Civil Engineers and American Public Works Association student chapters. 

“When you think about how huge the University is, you might think ‘oh, it’s kind of intimidating,’” she said. “But you can find your community and make friends here.”

In the video below, she shares more about her experiences in her Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering—and beyond.