A First Job Leads to a Role in Building Meta鈥檚 New Data Hub
Posted on August 13, 2025
Amber Day
University of South 正品蓝导航 alumnus Jordan Eggleston said the responsibility he has
been given in his first engineering job has motivated him in his new role.
#MyFirstJob is a series focused on recent graduates of the University of South 正品蓝导航.
As a child, Jordan Eggleston loved stacking Lego bricks. He didn鈥檛 know it at the
time, but he was laying the foundation for his future. As a new field engineer, Eggleston
is turning that childhood curiosity into real-world impact.
He landed his position at the Montgomery location of Hensel Phelps, one of the largest general contractors and construction managers in the U.S., just weeks after graduating from South in May with a degree in civil engineering.
He鈥檚 only in his first few months there, and his first project is kind of a big deal:
The construction of an $800 million, 715,000 square-foot data center for Meta, the
multinational technology conglomerate. The data hub, expected to begin operations
at the end of 2026, will be AI-optimized and powered by renewable energy.
鈥淚t's an incredible opportunity to be a part of such a massive, multi-billion-dollar
build so early in my career,鈥� Eggleston said. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful to Hensel Phelps for putting
me in a position to succeed and grow professionally. Being trusted with responsibility
on a project of this scale is both exciting and motivating. A big part of what makes
this experience so rewarding is the team around me.鈥�
As a field engineer, he supports the tradespeople on-site by creating layouts, recording
as-builts, surveying, and coordinating with the trades to help keep things moving
smoothly.
What has surprised him most?
鈥淗ow much trust and responsibility I was given from day one,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been
both a challenge and a motivator to rise to that level.鈥�
Finding His Path, One Brick at a Time
Eggleston, who hails from Alabaster, 正品蓝导航, just south of Birmingham, found his
ideal college fit just a few hours away from home.
鈥淪outh stayed in consistent contact with me throughout high school, and that really
stood out,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to experience something new, but I liked knowing I
could get back home easily if I needed to. It was the right mix of opportunity and
comfort.鈥�
He knew his path would lead to engineering. It all started with those early stacks
of toy bricks.
鈥淚鈥檝e always loved the process of creating something from the ground up,鈥� he said.
Sports 鈥� particularly basketball 鈥� also shaped his future. Playing on his high school
squad, he learned discipline and the value of teamwork, two skills that have transferred
seamlessly into his career.
鈥淣o project in engineering is done alone. You rely on your team to succeed,鈥� Eggleston
said. 鈥淭hat mindset started for me on the court and carried over into my career path.鈥�
At South, Eggleston鈥檚 time with other students and commitment to organizations shaped his growth.
He served as a student manager for the women鈥檚 basketball team and became heavily
involved in the National Society of Black Engineers.
鈥淏eing involved with NSBE directly led me to my opportunity at Hensel Phelps,鈥� he
said. 鈥淎nd working with the women鈥檚 basketball team gave me a break from the classroom
while keeping me close to the sport I love. Both of those experiences helped shape
who I am today.鈥�
He offers simple but powerful advice to students who want to track a similar path:
鈥淪tay the course. If it were easy, everyone would do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淩eal progress
starts with that first step, no matter how big or small. Just take it and keep going.鈥�
