Bright Future: A’Jeya Anthony’s Path from NSBE to McCarthy

When A’Jeya Anthony was in high school in New Orleans, she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to pursue in college. There were plenty of nurses in her family, but after realizing she faints at the sight of blood, she figured that might not be the best track. During her junior year, she participated in a nearby STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program affiliated with Louisiana State University (LSU). There, she was exposed to the world of engineering and would soon discover an interest in construction management.  

“My favorite class in the STEM program was construction management,” she said. "I realized I was interested in managing a project, building something and being able to say ‘Hey, I built that!’ one day."’ 

Upon completing the STEM program, A’Jeya decided to continue exploring construction management at LSU. Living in the engineering dorm as a freshman helped introduce her to NSBE. 

“Making friends can be really hard in college,” she said. “When you go to NSBE functions though, you see people who look like you, who are in the same classes as you, who can help you with resources you might need. LSU is a huge school, but through NSBE I was able to really start building a community.” 

In 2024, A’Jeya and a group from the NSBE chapter at LSU traveled to Atlanta to attend the national NSBE conference. While there was a great deal of programming designed to enhance their resumes, develop their networking skills and meet with fellow students, the biggest draw was the job fair. 

Prior to the conference, A’Jeya had a list of the top five companies she wanted to meet with. However, McCarthy Building Companies wasn’t on her radar since she wasn’t yet familiar with the company. That didn’t stop McCarthy's energetic representatives from quickly winning her over.   

“The job fair was so crowded,” she said. "While I was in line waiting to meet with one of my top companies, the folks at the McCarthy booth nearby were waving me over. At that point late in the day, everybody’s social battery was down. Not McCarthy, though. They were all high energy, so I decided to give them a shot.” 

What made the McCarthy group stand out even more for A’Jeya was their genuine interest in what a career at the company could look like for her. 

“They asked me a lot of questions and were really drawn to the fact that I had my OSHA certifications,” she said. “Overall, I felt they were more invested in me. Everybody at the table was talking to me all at once, which is rare because it’s usually one person at a time at these fairs.” 

The next day, A’Jeya was invited to have follow-up conversations with six companies, including McCarthy. While her conversations with the other companies didn’t leave her feeling enthusiastic about internship opportunities, her discussion with McCarthy was different.  

“The McCarthy recruiters had the same energy as they did the day before,” she said. “Ten out of 10 experience!”  

A’Jeya received an internship opportunity to work on a renewable energy project, which she ultimately accepted. 

Since that NSBE conference, A’Jeya has completed two McCarthy internships and is about to complete her third. 

During her first internship at the Cattlemen II Solar project in Rosebud, Texas, A’Jeya stepped into solar construction for the first time alongside three other interns. There, she found instant community through two extremely helpful women, and a broader project team that treated everyone — from interns to vice presidents —as equals.  

“Early on, a project team member came up to me and introduced himself,” she said. “We had a really good conversation about school, and he even gave me some advice about managing finances. After he walked away, I asked my supervisor who that was. Turns out he was a VP! But it didn’t feel like I was talking to a VP, just a regular person.”  

Under the mentorship of Project Safety Manager John Salsman and Senior Project Manager Asad Shaikh, she quickly built a strong foundation in safety, strengthened her confidence in speaking up on project matters and experienced new challenges. Along the way she formed strong relationships and shared memorable moments including a sticky-note prank on Asad’s desk, that made her eager to return to McCarthy. 

In her next internship at a different solar project in Abilene, Texas, she deepened her technical and leadership skills. This project had a lively, highly collaborative environment that pushed her to take learning more seriously. She transitioned from safety into mechanical trackers on a large, fast-paced job with eight interns and dozens of project engineers (PEs).  

She also received valuable guidance and mentorship from Senior Project Engineer Digna Giron.  Another bright spot was seeing several familiar faces at the project, including Asad’s. 

“Asad told everybody that I pranked him before I even got there, so everyone already knew who I was,” she said. “It’s just good to know that people remember you and the impression you made on them.” 

In her current internship at another solar project in Austin, Texas, A’Jeya is the sole year-round intern, operating much like a project engineer. She spends more time in the field, leads PE-only meetings, regularly presents to the team and was even recognized as “G.O.A.T. of the Week” for stepping out of her shell and proactively bringing people and ideas together. 

It’s clear that A’Jeya has not only found a home here but has also demonstrated tremendous growth and leadership.  

When inclusion is centered into our talent strategy, we find leaders who not only thrive at McCarthy, but also help shape the future of our business. 

When reflecting on her conversations with McCarthy at the NSBE conference, A’Jeya said “To this this day, I think I made the best decision ever!” 

We’re excited to continue following A’Jeya’s journey and connecting with prospective partners as we continue our search for top talent.