Winner of Annual CDM Smith Intern T-Shirt Contest Gives Back to Victims of Florida State University Shooting
BOSTON – CDM Smith and its employees are proud to donate $10,053 in proceeds from its annual intern T-shirt fundraiser, along with a company match, to support victim aid and relief efforts for the Florida State University (FSU) community in the aftermath of a campus shooting that took place in April 2025. The annual fundraiser invites the firm’s summer interns to create unique and innovative designs that embody CDM Smith’s work. Driven by the firm’s longstanding culture of giving back, the winning design is made available for employee purchase with all profits donated to a charity of the winning intern’s choice.
Out of 185 interns, the 2025 winner was Marissa Goss, a master’s student at FSU and a transportation planning intern in Atlanta, Georgia. Marissa’s T-shirt incorporates different disciplines CDM Smith specializes in, including water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities. She chose to donate the more than $5,000 in T-shirt sale proceeds to a fund providing aid and recovery efforts to the victims of the mass shooting that occurred on the FSU campus earlier this year. CDM Smith then contributed a full match, bringing the donation total to more than $10,000.
FSU holds a special place in my heart as I have spent the entirety of my academic career there. Unfortunately, on April 17, 2025, my campus experienced a mass shooting. This unthinkable act has truly shaken myself and my fellow ‘Noles who once thought of our campus as a place of solitude.
“FSU holds a special place in my heart as I have spent the entirety of my academic career there. Unfortunately, on April 17, 2025, my campus experienced a mass shooting. This unthinkable act has truly shaken myself and my fellow ‘Noles who once thought of our campus as a place of solitude,” Marissa shared. “I chose this charity because the victims and their families are still feeling the mental, physical and financial effects of the FSU shooting. Any support they receive may alleviate some of their stress.”
The firm’s strong culture of giving back and supporting those in need shines through in the overwhelming participation in the annual intern T-shirt fundraiser – hundreds of CDM Smith employees across the world purchased T-shirts to contribute to the victim aid and recovery efforts and showed their support for the firm’s award-winning internship program.
“Giving back is a core component of our culture at CDM Smith, and our people consistently exemplify this. With our collective dedication to doing the right thing by our clients and community, we can work together to find solutions to building a brighter future. I am proud that our efforts to give back at CDM Smith are embraced by our interns and employees around the globe,” said Carlos Echalar, Chief Human Resources Officer.
Marissa Goss is currently in her final semester at FSU, earning her Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning after previously receiving her Bachelor of Science in Environment and Society from the same institution. She is particularly interested in how humans interact with the built environment and hopes to develop healthier communities through the implementation of well-connected active transportation networks and multi-modal transit systems.
To learn more about the internship and co-op opportunities at CDM Smith, visit cdmsmith.com/students.
CDM Smith is a privately owned engineering and construction firm providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities. Passionate about our work and invested in each other, we are inspired to think and driven to solve the world’s environmental and infrastructure challenges.
I chose this charity because the victims and their families are still feeling the mental, physical and financial effects of the FSU shooting. Any support they receive may alleviate some of their stress.