MassBay Internship Engineers Safer Streets in Wellesley

MassBay Community College engineering design student, Tatianya Keating (left) and Wellesley Police Lt. Michael Lemenager pose in front of the Wellesley Police Department on Washington Street, Wellesley, MA, March 2026 (Photo / MassBay Community College).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
ecooper@massbay.edu

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (April 13, 2026) — When MassBay student Tatianya Keating of Millis, MA set out to find an internship, she was looking for more than hands-on experience. She wanted to be involved with meaningful work, the kind that would stretch her skills, support her education and make a tangible difference in her community.
A part-time student in MassBay’s associate degree in engineering design and mother, Tatianya had inquired with MassBay’s Career Services department about internship opportunities when one emerged. There was one particular opportunity that matched everything she was looking for, and her hopes soared.

Around the same time, Wellesley Police Lt. Michael Lemenager of the Traffic and Parking Division fielded an inquiry from MassBay Career Services about criminal justice internship opportunities. While the request initially focused on criminal justice students, Lt. Lemenager saw a different need. He had an idea for a MassBay intern — one who was an engineering major with computer-aided design (CAD) experience — to take on a long-standing challenge: building a comprehensive inventory of the town’s traffic infrastructure.

The idea had been taking shape after Lt. Lemenager attended a Massachusetts Department of Transportation Geographic Information System (GIS) conference, where he learned how another community partnered with a high school student to solve a critical mapping gap. It sparked a vision for a possible public safety and long-term planning solution for Wellesley: creating a centralized, interactive system that could track traffic lights and signals, school zone signage, speed limit signs, and crosswalks equipped with rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs).

MassBay’s Office of Career Services staff understood Lt. Lemenager’s request and quickly recognized the match between Tatianya’s skill set and those needed for the Wellesley PD project. An initial meeting was set up. “Tatianya presented herself well, was very knowledgeable about building the database, and was enthusiastic about the project. It was a perfect fit,” Lt. Lemenager explained.

“This was a project I wanted to complete to keep residents safe and ensure our traffic signage are in good working order, and to use for future grant opportunities,” Lt. Lemenager continued. “When I met Tatianya, it was immediately clear this was a perfect match. She was professional, engaged, and excited about the work from the start. What she has accomplished in just a few months is far beyond what I anticipated. This project would have taken me years to complete alongside my other responsibilities. She has provided the town with a huge service.”

From day one, Tatianya took ownership of the project, building the inventory from the ground up. The work required asking and answering essential questions: Where are speed limit signs deployed? When were traffic lights and crossing signals installed? What equipment needs repair, replacement or upgrading?

With a GIS map from the town, Tatianya began by using Google Earth to virtually walk the streets of Wellesley, creating data points for traffic lights, crossings, and signage. Currently, the project is ahead of schedule, and Tatianya has transitioned the work into the field, photographing equipment, logging serial numbers, and testing signals to ensure they are functioning properly and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In just a few months, Tatianya mapped all 10.51 square miles of Wellesley traffic and safety lights, documented 12 school zones, and created 191 dashboard points representing traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, and RRFBs. She categorized the technology that is in use across town, creating a level of clarity and organization the department had not previously had.

The data now live in a robust, real-time database that will help the department schedule maintenance, prioritize safety improvements, support grant applications, and manage future budgets, all while improving safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians across Wellesley.

According to Lt. Lemenager, the impact of the project extends well beyond the data itself.
“This database gives us the ability to respond quickly, stay organized, and make informed decisions when issues arise. When applying for grants, data is needed, and now it’s at our fingertips,” he said. “It’s a tool we’ll rely on for years.”

For Tatianya, the internship also aligned seamlessly with her academic work. She incorporated the project into her engineering project management coursework and selected it as herSTEM Expo project, a display of MassBay engineering students’ projects on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, open to the public at the MassBay Wellesley campus.

“This internship has been the perfect blend of real-world experience and classroom learning,” Tatianya said. “I built the framework for the inventory, but together we built the vision — a system that makes this information accessible and useful for the entire town.”

Tatianya also made history as the Wellesley Police Department’s first engineering intern, helping establish a foundation for future students.

“She didn’t just complete a project; she built a framework for us to have future interns,” Lt. Lemenager said. “Tatianya embraced this work from day one. She’s a student, a mother, a project manager, and a leader. What she has given to the Town of Wellesley is significant, and the impact of her work will continue long after her internship ends.”

“I’m not just helping the town; I’m helping create opportunities for future engineering students,” said Tatianya. “I’ve been able to network, attend conferences, and gain exposure I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’m even presenting this project with Lt. Lemenager to the Wellesley Traffic Board next week.”

Tatianya was able to take on the unpaid internship thanks to MassBay’s internship scholarship, awarded by the MassBay Foundation. The scholarship enabled her to step away from part-time work and fully commit to her studies, her family, and the internship.

“This scholarship was a lifeline,” Tatianya said. “It allowed me to focus on this opportunity without having to choose between gaining experience and supporting my family. As the first recipient of the scholarship, I’m grateful and appreciative that this internship scholarship is in place and that I didn’t have to choose between working or the internship.”

Tatianya added, “This experience has truly been life-changing.”

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston and is free to most Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree. With more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, along with comprehensive workforce and educational training, MassBay provides a wide range of courses with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Wellesley, Framingham, the Automotive Technology Center in Ashland, and online, in high-demand fields including health and life sciences, computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business, and the humanities. MassBay students receive unparalleled value, with free one-on-one academic and social support services, compassionate and experienced faculty, and stackable credits that easily transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and that provide hands-on, workforce-ready skills. Health sciences, human services, early childhood education, and many general education programs are offered at the 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art MassBay Framingham, which has served the community since January 2024. Founded in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by multiple governing bodies and remains dedicated to serving its diverse communities, fostering inclusiveness, and advancing equity for all.