#UShine

Meet Jessica Mendez Negrete, a senior in the 5-year industrial and systems engineering program with a concentration in management!

Jessica has been working in the Industrial Engineering Department's Research Lab, Industrial Assessment Center, for over a year. In this role, Jessica and a team of students conduct energy audits on manufacturing, commercial, and residential buildings, which in turn deliver energy cost reduction recommendations to accomplish energy or water savings for the building. She also worked as an Engineer Intern for Profitality Labor Guru over the summer and continued working with them last fall. This experience provided her with hands-on experience that emphasized the nature of industrial engineering.

Jessica has been the President of Alpha Pi Mu, the Industrial Engineering Honor Society, for the past three years. This leadership role has taught her how to successfully communicate, distribute duties, and motivate others on the professional development opportunities it provides. Not only that, but it has allowed her to expand her professional circle.

During her first years of college, Jessica attended Toppel's workshops which she says has improved the way she prepares professionally for an interview or creates a strong online presence. Toppel has also helped her gain essential resources and connections with possible employers through career fairs and networking events.

Piece of Advice:

“Never be afraid to take risks while making key workplace decisions because everything happens at the right time and moment. Also, take advantage of all the tools available through Toppel and other student organizations, such as workshops, career fairs, guest speakers, and even catching up with faculty members, because you never know who you will meet there or what connections you may create. In my experience, I met the founder of the firm I intern for, Profitality Labor Guru, at one of these events!”