August 19, 2026
Angel Yandeday is applying her knowledge of heat transfer acquired at Mizzou Engineering to mine cooling tower systems in her second internship with Freeport-McMoRan.
Summer internships give Mizzou Engineers opportunities to dig deep. This summer, mechanical engineering major Angel Yandeday interned at Freeport-McMoRan’s Henderson molybdenum mine one hour west of Denver.
“This is my second internship with Freeport-McMoRan, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to return as a returning intern and continue growing as an engineering student,” she said
One of her main projects this summer focused on evaluating and planning the replacement of heat exchangers used in the mine’s cooling tower system. The system supports important underground operations, especially the cooling needs associated with compressed air.
“What made this project especially exciting for me was that I had just taken Heat Transfer, so I was able to directly apply concepts I learned in class to a real engineering problem,” she said.
In her work, she evaluated the condition and performance of heat exchangers on site, identified units that needed replacement, compared possible solutions and developed recommendations for the project.
Yandeday also gained experience in project management.
“I have been communicating with vendors, coordinating site visits and discussions, reviewing replacement and refurbishment options, and considering factors such as cost, performance, maintenance and long-term reliability,” she said.
Yandeday said that returning to Freeport-McMoRan for a second internship helped her see how much she had grown since her first internship.
“This experience has shown me that engineering is not only about calculations and technical knowledge, but also about communication, teamwork, decision-making and working with different people to turn an engineering problem into a practical solution,”
Yandeday encourages other students pursuing internships to stay curious, ask questions and learn from the people around them.
“Don’t be afraid if you don’t know everything at first,” she said. “That’s what an internship is for.”
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