CEE to PIT: Alum breaks ground at new Pittsburgh Airport

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Patrick Garrett (CivE’12) didn’t have to look far to see the impact of civil engineering. His parents, both CMU-trained civil engineers, pointed out bridges and buildings on family drives, teaching him to notice how something that seemed delicate could also be incredibly strong.

“I’ve always liked puzzles, and civil engineering is one of the biggest puzzles you can take on,” he said. “You’re not working on small things. Everything is big, and what you build is going to serve communities for generations.”

It was a natural path to Carnegie Mellon University, where his father Jim Garrett, now Provost of Carnegie Mellon University; mother; five of his six aunts and uncles; sister; and grandfather all studied. But, it wasn’t just family legacy that drew him in. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offered him exactly what he was looking for: rigorous academics, inspiring faculty, and the chance to test his skills on real-world problems.

CEE doesn’t just teach you answers. It teaches you how to think critically and adapt.

Patrick Garrett, General Superintendent, PJ Dick

At CMU, Garrett balanced his coursework with four years on the CMU football team. Walking on as a punter his freshman year, he quickly learned the value of time management. “Football forced structure into my life,” he said. “Between practices, games, and training, it meant my free time had to be focused. That discipline carried over to everything else I did at CMU.”

That structure proved crucial as classes became more specialized. Math and physics came easy to Garrett, but didn’t guarantee easy wins in civil courses. Faculty, however, pushed him to build the study habits and preparation that would serve him throughout his career.

“Every class was memorable for different reasons,” he said, recalling a senior design course with Larry Cartwright as a highlight. “What stood out to me was the dedication of every faculty member. They were invested in the curriculum and the students and it showed.”

Internships with Trumbull Corporation gave him his first taste of large-scale civil construction projects and by his senior year, he already had a full-time job offer in hand. After several years at Trumbull, he transitioned to PJ Dick, where he now serves as a construction manager on one of Pittsburgh’s most ambitious projects: building a new terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

At PJ Dick, Garrett oversees the construction of new roadways and supporting infrastructure that will connect the airport’s reimagined airside and landside terminals. It’s an undertaking that involves 27 lane miles of roadways, millions of dollars in contracts, and daily coordination among over 50 contractors, state and federal agencies, and airport authorities.

“Ninety percent of my job is coordination between contractors, stakeholders, and other parties involved,” he said. “There are so many variables, especially building on an active airport. You have to be ready to pivot when a solution doesn’t work.” It’s here that he sees the direct link to his Carnegie Mellon education. “CEE doesn’t just teach you answers. It teaches you how to think critically and adapt. That’s what I do every day.”

Reflecting on his path, he emphasizes the value of hands-on experience for today’s students. “The best thing you can do is get as much variety as possible in your internships,” he advised. “Work on the design side and the construction side. That way, you can understand not just why something is built, but also how it’s built. Having that perspective will make you a stronger engineer.”

For him, the relationships built at CMU through both football and the civil engineering program remain just as important as the technical knowledge. “The people you meet at Carnegie Mellon are some of the best people you’ll meet in your life. Those friendships and that network have been invaluable.”

And now, with every mile of roadway he oversees at the new Pittsburgh International Airport, Garrett is leaving his own mark on the city he grew up in.