A (very) short distance from the classroom to the job site

Brandeis Stories

A (very) short distance from the classroom to the job site

By Steve Foskett
Photography by Gaelen Morse; video by Fabio Castel Garcia
July 28, 2026 • Student Life

After junior Alessio Natoli graduates from Brandeis next year and returns for a class reunion or to meet back up with old friends, he will have concrete proof that he left his mark on the university.

No, really, he'll have concrete proof, as in the stuff you mix with water to make foundations and walls and elevator shafts.

Natoli is spending his summer as a project engineer intern with Dimeo Construction, the firm building the 631-unit residence hall due to open next summer, and is getting an insider's view of Brandeis' future.

"I've been granted the experience to have one foot in the classroom and one foot on the street, directly on the Brandeis University campus," says Natoli, a Florida native and member of the men's soccer team. "This is something that I take pride in, and being able to go back, 40 years down the line, and see what has happened to the building and what I've been able to contribute to the building, just knowing that I was here when it was happening from the ground up, is exciting."

Both in school and at his internship with Dimeo, he has been trying to turn everything into a growth opportunity.

"Every single day that I show up to the job site, it's another day for me to learn," he says. "It's another day for me to bring something back to my education, but also to give back to the community and the university."

A business and finance major, Natoli basically shadows engineers. Working with superintendents and project managers, he's getting experience in a dynamic work environment that has him helping to process requests for the information, working on submittals, and attending various meetings.

"They want me to do well," he says. "They've been teaching me, and it's something I'm going to carry with me throughout my career."

With his Brandeis degree, Natoli says he plans on pursuing a role in business development, and notes that his business professors have prepared him well for his journey.

"They've taught me how to articulate my thoughts and network in the right way, and how to present projects," says Natoli. "All these different things that I'm learning are helping me a lot."