A French Connection

Mathéo Avril (MPM '25) needed to complete an internship following his second year at

ESTP, a highly regarded French school of engineering that specializes in construction. The internship’s goal was to introduce students to different construction-related career opportunities.

For Avril, that goal was certainly accomplished.

Avril interned at energy engineering company Alterea and fell in love with energy’s role in the built environment sector.

“What I really liked about the job was that I could learn so much about energy and where it comes from,” Avril said. “In the same way, I got interested in the building industry. I love to understand how things are built and how they work, and there is a whole lot to learn about the energy we find in our buildings.”

Avril’s main task at Alterea was to dive deeply into the company’s energy efficiency software and learn how to digitally duplicate buildings under construction to see how even tiny adjustments can lead to more sustainable development.

That experience led him to think about continuing his education in the built environment sector and ultimately brought him to Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Project Management (MPM) program.

“I heard of the MPM program through my school when they were presenting the programs available in the United States,” Avril said. “I talked with former students of both my school and MPM, and they were unanimous on the fact that it was a life-changing experience and a great step in their studies.”

Avril was drawn to the MPM program because of what he viewed as unmatched versatility. While his first four years of college education in France were focused mostly on the technical aspects of engineering, the MPM program is allowing him to broaden his competencies and become a more well-rounded professional.

He is particularly excited to delve deeper into sustainability within the built environment sector.

“The opportunity to pursue a specialization in sustainability and being able to take courses from various programs of Northwestern really convinced me MPM is the best program,” he said. “Choosing what courses you take is a very rare thing in France.”

Despite that critique, Avril remains a Frenchman at heart. He talks glowingly about the opportunities and experiences available in his native country, from the food to captivating vistas. His home city of Paris provides an endless array of things to do and discover, he said.

For now, Avril is excited to learn more about the built environment sector. While the academic knowledge he develops will be valuable, he believes getting to know more about his MPM classmates — as well as himself — will also be beneficial.

“I am already learning a lot from the program and meeting with people who will help me along my career path,” he said. “I am certain that this experience abroad will allow me to grow as a student and also as a person, improving my skills and knowledge in the sector I want to pursue my career in and also give me greater understanding of who I want to be after my studies.”