Four years ago, Alabama native Brooke Barnett came to Mississippi State in search of a home-like environment with a strong engineering school. Looking back now, the senior petroleum engineering major in the Bagley College of Engineering said she has gotten exactly what she wanted and so much more.

“It feels like a big campus, but I don’t feel like a number because the people here are so kind. MSU engineering has such a positive reputation for ensuring that students are prepared for the future, and our professors play a big role in that,” said Barnett, who will be the first in her family to complete a four-year college degree. “I love it here. I would not want to go anywhere else.”

This summer, Barnett will be among a select number of students pursuing internships with Oasis Petroleum Inc. in Houston, Texas. The independent exploration and production company was co-founded in 2007 by MSU petroleum engineering alumnus Tommy Nusz.

“The Oasis team came during the university’s career fair last semester. They were friendly and made the application process go so smoothly,” Barnett emphasized. “I’m excited about the projects I’ll be working on, and I’m looking forward to taking at least one trip to see the company’s oil wells in North Dakota.”

Barnett said she enjoys pursuing internships because they provide experience and “help you figure out where you stand in the grand scheme of things."

“The beauty of interning is that you don’t have one swim lane; you can cross over and try everything,” she said. “I like working with engineers to solve problems because there’s always a lot of knowledge in the room. It makes for a great experience.”