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.
“I 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,” Paulina said. “Growing 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.”
In addition to her love of chemistry and math, Paulina chose to study chemical engineering for other reasons.
“In order to be an independent woman, you must secure your future,” she said. “I 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.”
Opportunities for Chemical Engineering Majors
Paulina’s favorite part about the chemical engineering program was Chem-E Car, an annual competition where students design and construct cars powered and stopped by chemical energy sources.
“Chem-E Car gave me the opportunity to learn to work as a team with engineers from different disciplines,” Paulina said. “It 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.”
While at the University, 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.
“These organizations helped me build my network and form relationships with students, faculty, and professionals,” she said. These relationships played a key role in the opportunities for internships, gaining mentors, and landing a job."
“Do not underestimate the power of networking.”
Hard Work Pays Off
Paulina’s experience at UL Lafayette was not without struggles.
“Earning my degree did not come easy to me at all,” she said. “It 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.”
With her degree and the connections from UL Lafayette, Paulina is confident in her ability to progress in her career.
“I plan on building my experience in sales and marketing in the energy industry,” she said. “It 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.”
