Stevens Students Make Moves — and Leave an Impression — at NJ TRANSIT
Growing up in Washington, D.C., Isabella Ziv ’25 M.S. ’25 would take the Metro to and from school from an early age. This early reliance on public transportation would shape her (still) car-free lifestyle and lay the groundwork for a professional interest in transportation. In her current role as a capital compliance intern at NJ TRANSIT, she’s living her professional dreams.
“‘Capital’ is anything that doesn’t move — bus stops and train stations, for example — so that’s where my work is focused,” she said. “Because NJ TRANSIT gets federal and state funding, there has to be close monitoring on construction to make sure everything is done right. So as part of my job, I attend project progress meetings every month and have attended site visits where contractors from the federal Department of Transportation are walking through the site to make sure everything is correct. I’ve learned so much.”
Ziv, who received her undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering and will receive her master’s in engineering management this December, started her internship this past summer along with five other Stevens students — third-year computer engineering major Bryan Barzola, second-year cybersecurity major Zaid Kazi, civil engineering major Neylan Preetanchal ’26 MBA ’26, mechanical engineering major Arantza Diaz Villegas ’26 and computer science major Johnathan Vu ’26 — up from only two Stevens interns the previous year.
“Stevens students are exceptionally well-prepared to contribute to a transportation agency because of their rigorous education in engineering, technology and applied sciences,” a representative of the NJ TRANSIT Internship Program Team said. “Their training emphasizes problem-solving, innovation and systems thinking skills that are critical when addressing complex transportation challenges such as infrastructure resilience, sustainable mobility and smart city integration. Their strong foundation in emerging technologies — including data analytics, artificial intelligence and advanced modeling — aligns directly with the agency’s goals to modernize operations and make data-driven decisions.”
Barzola, who spent his summer working in technical service, said that his boss encouraged him and his fellow interns to learn and gain experience at every position.
“Technical services offered several engineering-based opportunities — supplies, software, electrical, mechanical — so I got to do a little of everything,” he said. “I fixed a lot of trains and software bases on the trains, worked with budget engineers and designed a project around USB cables in train seats.”
NJ TRANSIT says its internship program is an investment in the agency’s future workforce, creating a pipeline of qualified candidates who understand its mission, processes and community priorities.
“In particular, Stevens students have proven to be exceptional contributors, bringing technical expertise, innovative thinking and strong problem-solving skills that align with the agency’s mission,” the representative said. “Our ultimate goal is to leverage the internship program to develop and employ the next generation of professionals, leaders and innovators in the transportation industry, and Stevens students represent exactly the kind of talent we are proud to invest in for the future.”
For more information on internship opportunities, visit the Stevens Career Center website.
