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SAN ANTONIO, TX — A group of bright students are part of Port San Antonio's second cohort of summer interns. The young women and men, some of whom will be seniors while others embark on their college journeys this fall, are gaining new skills that will help them with their career paths. 

The nine students from Edgewood and South San Antonio independent school districts are spending six weeks this summer as paid employees alongside the Port team. During this time, they are supporting various departments as the organization, which is growing the 1,900-acre technology innovation campus southwest of downtown, continues attracting and growing major industries. 

The Port's summer interns join President and CEO Jim Perschbach (far left) and Board Chair Margaret Wilson-Anaglia (center) during a visit to the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology's AREA 21 at the Boeing Center. Photo credit: Port San Antonio.

"Our interns arrived at the Port ready to hit the ground running while bringing fresh ideas and energy," said Port President and CEO Jim Perschbach. "We are grateful to have their perspectives as they help us further grow our campus, which is now home to 18,000 workers in an array of advanced industries that include aerospace, cybersecurity, education and advanced technology."

"We need students who possess a wide variety of skills such as math, art and critical thinking," continued Perschbach. "At some point in the near future, our interns and their peers could be a permanent part of the tech ecosystem that is thriving on our campus." 

During their internship, students also had the opportunity to see first-hand several of the technology innovations being developed on the Port campus. This includes meeting with industry professionals in the aerospace, cybersecurity and space exploration sectors, such as the WEX Foundation (top), Knight Aerospace (middle) and the Alamo Regional Security Operations Center (ARSOC) (bottom). Photo credits: Port San Antonio.

“We are thrilled to welcome the latest cohort of summer interns to the Port," said Port Board Chair Margaret Wilson-Anaglia. “By taking part in this wonderful opportunity, we hope that these young women and men will see themselves as part of a bright future on our campus that is filled with limitless opportunities — all just down the road from where they live and go to school.”

The interns have been paired with different departments based on their interests, including construction and property management, information technology (IT), business development and communications.

IT intern Pedro Palacios conducts an audit of the Port's computer network system. Photo credit: Port San Antonio.

"I saw the internship program as a way for me to develop my information technology skills before I graduate from high school," said South San Antonio High School student Emilie Mendiola. "Tasks such as connecting network cabling are enabling me to gain experience that will be valuable for my future." 

Mendiola and fellow South San Antonio High School student intern Pedro Palacios are both supporting the Port's IT team.

"Working in the Port's IT department is giving me real world job experience that will prepare me for a great career," said Palacios. "I am excited about enhancing my tech skills as I gain more experience during the internship program." 

Communications interns Rubi Cano (left) and Henesi Mora (right) prepare a camera tripod prior to a photo shoot. Photo credit: Port San Antonio.

"I enrolled in the internship program to work on my communication skills," said recent South San Antonio High School graduate Rubi Cano, who will continue her education in the fall at Palo Alto College. "Interacting with the other interns by interviewing and photographing them is preparing me for a career in the music industry." 

“We’re very excited about all the great jobs that the Port continues to create for our talented young people,” said Edgewood ISD Superintendent Dr. Eduardo Hernández. “As they spend several weeks at the Port this summer, the interns will see for themselves that those opportunities are well within their reach.”

"The Port San Antonio internship program is an excellent opportunity for our students to see the transformative opportunities that are taking place right here in our community," said South San Antonio ISD Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre. "By immersing themselves in the middle of South Texas' largest advanced technology center, they are contributing to the continued success of some of our region's top industries."

IT interns Emilie Mendiola and Damien Rocha look on during a fiber splicing lesson delivered by Communications Technician Steve Rider. Photo credit: Port San Antonio.

Edgewood Fine Arts Academy student Andrea Mendez inspects an educational exhibit as part of her internship duties. Mendez is working at AREA 21 within the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Photo credit: Port San Antonio.