Where It All Started: Company History and a Warm Welcome

The morning kicked off with headshots and a brief introduction to the marketing team, followed by a welcome from CEO Chris Rice. With company history going back to 1953 on the screens behind him, the message was clear — this is a company with deep roots, a strong team, and a vision for what comes next. 

Getting Set Up and Learning the Ropes

From there, the morning moved into an IT session with Adam Rohde— laptops configured, systems set up, ready to work. It was practical and efficient, but what stood out was that Rice Companies had a plan for these interns from day one. Nobody was left figuring it out alone.

Intern Basics with Nikki Bukowski followed — and it went well beyond timeclock procedures and who to call when questions come up. Nikki walked the interns through what it actually takes to make the most of a summer at Rice Companies: show up early, say yes to opportunities, and let good work open doors to bigger ones. She talked about asking questions without hesitation, getting to know the people around them — from project managers to field crews — and bringing the kind of attitude that makes people want you on their team. The message wasn't just "here's how things work." It was a genuine investment in helping each intern leave the summer with more than they came in with — real skills, real relationships, and a real shot at a career in construction. 

Seeing the Future: VR on Day One

One of the standout moments of the day came midmorning: a virtual reality demonstration with Wes Schoenherr. Interns took turns putting on the headset and stepping inside a virtual building — exploring spaces and structures that exist only in the planning phase.

For a company that takes design-build seriously, using VR to visualize projects before a single foundation is poured isn't a gimmick. It's how Rice Companies works. For many of the interns, it was their first time experiencing construction from the inside out — before it's even built.

A Food Truck and a Team Lunch

By midday, it was time to eat — and Rice Companies didn't hold back. A food truck pulled up outside. What followed was one of the best things a first day can offer: interns sitting down with field crews, project managers, and office staff over a good meal.

Geared Up: PPE Fitting

After lunch, the construction interns got fitted for their personal protective equipment — safety vests, hard hats, and fall protection gear. It's one of those moments that makes an internship feel real. You're not just here to observe; you're here to be on the job.

Out the Door: Site Tours

The afternoon took the group off-campus for site tours, including a stop at Premier Stone Design — a Rice Companies project. Walking into an active facility and seeing the craftsmanship and scale of the work Rice Companies does brought the morning's presentations to life.

Seeing the connection between design concepts and real-world construction outcomes is the kind of perspective that helps inform and shape careers.

Building a Legacy: Construction Operations Session

The day wrapped up at Rice Companies' Training Center with a Construction Operations session — a cross-functional group of leaders walking interns through how the field works, what's expected, and how to be successful on a job site.

Helmets sat on the tables. Safety harnesses came out. Interns practiced putting on fall protection gear and got hands-on with the equipment they'd be using this summer. The "Building a Legacy" wall at the Training Center said it all: this is a company that takes what it builds seriously — and that includes the people it's developing.

And because no first day is complete without a proper sendoff, the team made a Dairy Queen run to cap it all off. After a full day of sessions, site tours, and safety gear, ice cream hits different.

What's Ahead: A Summer of Real Work

Day one was just the beginning. Over the next several weeks, these six interns will be embedded across Rice Companies' construction, design, preconstruction, and operations teams — doing real work on real projects.

That means working alongside project managers in the field, supporting architectural design, and seeing firsthand how a design-build project moves from a concept to completion.

Follow along all summer on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn as the Built This Summer series unfolds.

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