Honors Students in Engineering and German Programs Land Prestigious Porsche Internships

Fluency in world languages can open doors around the globe, and for two honors engineering students, the International Engineering Program did more than provide a global education in Germany; it led them to a dream internship at Porsche's Development Centre near Stuttgart. 

Gavin Nowack, an honors mechanical engineering and German major, and Matthew Teague, an Honors College Fellow and honors mechanical engineering and German major, spent a year studying at Technische Universität Darmstadt. There, they not only explored a new country but also took many classes in German. 

The language skills they honed at the U of A paid off when both applied for internships at Porsche, a highly coveted opportunity.  

"One of the strengths of this program is that students master the basics of German on our campus and then learn the technical language needed for engineering tasks at our partner program abroad," said professor Kathleen Condray, co-director of the IEP for German language. "We're thrilled that Gavin and Matthew were able to use this knowledge in the real world." 

NOWACK'S EXPERIENCE IN ENGINE PERIPHERALS 

Restoring a 1972 Dodge Dart in high school sparked Nowack's love of cars and eventually his interest in Germany, leading him to the U of A and the International Engineering Program.  

"When I saw that the U of A offered a dual-major program where I could go to Germany, I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me," Nowack said. 

Nowack worked in Porsche's engine peripherals department, focusing specifically on intake and exhaust systems. Within his sub-team, he was involved in the research and development side, which meant contributing to projects in their early stages. 

"When my supervisor had a new idea, he'd bring me concept drawings, and I would model a basic version in our design program," Nowack explained. "We'd review it together, decide if it was the direction we wanted to take, and then I'd refine the model further." 

This kind of hands-on, technical experience added to the foundation he was already building through internships during his undergraduate years, experience he believes ultimately helped him land the internship at Porsche.  

Nowack's first internship was at Chandler Equipment in Springdale, a company that manufactures truck accessories and supplies for the agriculture, food, oil and gas, and transportation industries. There, he worked on projects from start to finish, gaining experience with every stage of the manufacturing process. 

His next internship was at Remington Ammunition in Lonoke, where he focused on improving manufacturing efficiency on sheet metal press machines. He developed a method to reuse press parts through minor maintenance, extending their lifespan and saving the company over an estimated $100,000 yearly.  

"The experience at Remington gave me the opportunity to do a lot of 3D modeling," Nowack said. "I think that helped me get the Porsche internship because I had a portfolio to share." 

At Porsche, one of Nowack's most memorable moments was seeing the Porsche 963, the company's Le Mans race car. 

"They brought it out and removed the rear hood," Nowack said. "Because it's a mid-rear engine vehicle, you could see all the internal parts. They even started it up for us. It was so cool being that close to peak engineering."  

TEAGUE'S EXPERIENCE IN ELECTRIC DRIVE  

Similar to Nowack, Teague was drawn to the U of A by the International Engineering Program. In high school, he was interested in robotics, engineering and automotive technology, and the program gave him the chance to pursue all of those passions. 

For Teague, who grew up in Fayetteville, studying abroad meant his first experience without a nearby support system. 

"Even though it was challenging, I could tell in those moments that I was growing as a person," he said. "It was entirely up to me how I reacted." 

Teague applied to dozens of internships, but Porsche stood out as a dream opportunity — even if it felt far-fetched at the time. Along with his language skills, he credits his internship at Wolfspeed in Fayetteville with giving him an edge in the interview. 

"The people who hired me said that was the reason they hired me," Teague said. "I had experience with power electronics, and I went on to work in the pre-development section of Porsche's electric drives because of that background." 

At Porsche, Teague contributed to two major projects: enhancing an in-house app to visualize chip placements on power modules, drawing on his Wolfspeed experience, and designing a prototype electronic fly-off handbrake for potential use in future vehicles. 

He described his time at Porsche as surreal, recalling both the awe of the vast work sites and the moment early on when a full-time engineer asked for his input on a power module design — an experience that showed how interns were trusted and respected as real contributors. 

"Porsche treats all interns like full-time employees," Teague said. "You're given real responsibilities, and when someone asked for my input on their designs just a couple of weeks in, it showed how respected I was throughout my time there." 

The experience broadened Teague's outlook on his future, reinforcing not only his technical abilities but also his independence and adaptability, qualities he now sees as essential for wherever his career might take him.  

"It gave me a lot of confidence to pursue anything that I want," he said. "If I can have this opportunity with Porsche, which still doesn't totally feel real, then I can pretty much do anything I want as long as I'm aiming toward it and working hard to meet that goal." 

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and brings together high-achieving undergraduate students and the university's top professors to share transformative learning experiences. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $80,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students' academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. All Honors College graduates have engaged in mentored research.  

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the state's largest engineering school, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, online studies and interdisciplinary programs. It enrolls more than 4,700 students and employs more than 150 faculty and researchers along with nearly 200 staff members. Its research enterprise generated $47 million in new research awards in Fiscal Year 2025. The college's strategic plan, Vision 2035, seeks to build the premier STEM workforce in accordance with three key objectives: Initiating lifelong student success, generating transformational and relevant knowledge, and becoming the destination of choice among educators, students, staff, industry, alumni and the community. As part of this, the college is increasing graduates and research productivity to expand its footprint as an entrepreneurial engineering platform serving Arkansas and the world. The college embraces its pivotal role in driving economic growth, fueling innovation and educating the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to address current and future societal challenges. 

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.