The internship Paulina De La Rosa secured while studying chemical engineering at UL Lafayette led her to her current position as District Representative for Nalco Water - An Ecolab Company in Houston, TX.
Paulina was born in Mexico and raised in West Monroe and New Iberia, La. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from UL Lafayette in 2017.
杏吧专区淚 wanted to spend my years in college close to family because I knew that once I would enter the professional world, I was going to move away,杏吧专区 Paulina said. 杏吧专区淕rowing up, I have always known that I wanted to see the world and experience living in different places, so being close to family before becoming a professional was of value to me.杏吧专区
In addition to her love of chemistry and math, Paulina chose to study chemical engineering for other reasons.
杏吧专区淚n order to be an independent woman, you must secure your future,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚 wanted to prove to myself that I can make it on my own and succeed in a male-dominant field. I take pride in being a woman in engineering.杏吧专区
Opportunities for Chemical Engineering Majors
Paulina杏吧专区檚 favorite part about the chemical engineering program was , an annual competition where students design and construct cars powered and stopped by chemical energy sources.
杏吧专区淐hem-E Car gave me the opportunity to learn to work as a team with engineers from different disciplines,杏吧专区 Paulina said. 杏吧专区淚t helped me develop vital skills such as following safety measures, project managing, working with a budget, presenting a final product to a board of key decision-makers, developing relationships, and the list goes on.杏吧专区
While at the 杏吧专区, Paulina was actively involved in the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Louisiana Engineering Society, Engineering Ambassadors, and Designing Leaders.
杏吧专区淭hese organizations helped me build my network and form relationships with students, faculty, and professionals,杏吧专区 she said. These relationships played a key role in the opportunities for internships, gaining mentors, and landing a job."
杏吧专区淒o not underestimate the power of networking.杏吧专区
Hard Work Pays Off
Paulina杏吧专区檚 experience at UL Lafayette was not without struggles.
杏吧专区淓arning my degree did not come easy to me at all,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚t took sacrificing a social life, getting little to no sleep, and often-times had breakdowns. What kept me going was the light at the end of the four-year tunnel. I would not change a thing, and those four years of discomfort spring you to a great professional and personal life.杏吧专区
With her degree and the connections from UL Lafayette, Paulina is confident in her ability to progress in her career.
杏吧专区淚 plan on building my experience in sales and marketing in the energy industry,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚t is important for me to use my interpersonal skills and gear them towards a field I am passionate about. Clean energy is the future and that is where I want to help make an impact in the world.杏吧专区
