FORT PIERCE — Five college students got an inside look at the wide range of careers that keep a community-owned utility running this summer as the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority completed its 2026 Summer Internship Program.
The 12-week program was FPUA’s first organization-wide internship cohort. Interns worked alongside FPUA employees, contributed to active projects and received hands-on experience in several areas of the utility.
Jude Charles and Joseph Feliciano, Electric & Gas Engineering interns, helped design and survey potential locations for power lines as FPUA worked to strengthen its electric grid and add redundancy to the system.
Eden Glover, a Finance and Accounting intern, assisted the Finance team as it developed FPUA’s budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The experience gave her a look at how the utility balances priorities across its five utility services and supporting departments.
Two interns focused on communications and digital media. Jamari Tullis, a Manatee Center Digital Media Generalist intern, and Joshua Cimino, an FPUA Communications & Digital Storytelling intern, created social media content, documented events and designed graphics for FPUA and the Manatee Center.
“At FPUA, we believe in investing in future leaders, innovators and professionals,” said Javier Cisneros, P.E., FPUA director of utilities and CEO.
Beyond their individual assignments, the interns participated in safety training, a community cleanup, a professional presentation workshop and a bucket truck demonstration with FPUA’s Electric Transmission & Distribution team.
The program concluded Aug. 13 with a luncheon during which each intern presented an overview of their department, summer projects and lessons learned.
FPUA developed the internship program to provide students with hands-on experience, mentorship and professional development while introducing them to career opportunities in the utility industry.
The program also is intended to help FPUA develop relationships with potential future employees and strengthen its workforce pipeline.
FPUA/For Hometown News
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From left: Javier Cisneros, P.E., FPUA Director of Utilities; Dr. Barbara M. Bennett, FPUA Board Secretary; Linda Hudson, Mayor of Fort Pierce and FPUA Board Member; Kristina Gibbons, FPUA Board Vice Chair; Frank H. Fee, IV, FPUA Board Chair; Joshua Cimino, FPUA Communications & Digital Storytelling Intern; Pearl Davis, FPUA Board Deputy Secretary; Veronica Combs, FPUA Employee Engagement Coordinator; and Rachel Tennant, J.D., FPUA Director of Public Affairs & Sustainability.
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FPUA/For Hometown News
Jude Charles, FPUA Electric & Gas Engineering Intern
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FPUA/For Hometown News
From left: Jude Charles, FPUA Electric & Gas Engineering Intern; Joseph Feliciano-Garcia, FPUA Electric & Gas Engineering Intern; Joshua Cimino, FPUA Communications & Digital Storytelling Intern; and Eden Glover, FPUA Finance & Accounting Intern.
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FPUA/For Hometown News
Eden Glover, FPUA Finance & Accounting Intern
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FPUA/For Hometown News
Jamari Tullis, Manatee Center Digital Media Generalist Intern
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