Ashley is an Industrial Engineering senior at Penn State Behrend where she is also minoring in Operations and Supply Chain Management. She’s a Pittsburgh native and a member of the women’s varsity basketball team at Behrend.
Why she chose her major: I’ve always had an aptitude for math and science, but I associated engineering with doing hands-on fixing. On a visit to Penn State Behrend, I learned that industrial engineering is a field centered around efficiency and conceptual problem solving, and I knew it was the perfect fit for me.
Why she joined the WEC board: I saw it as an opportunity to share my unique perspective as a student and serve on a board with a lot of knowledgeable and talented women. I think sometimes there can be a disconnect between college-age students and those in the workforce. I’d like to help close that gap by offering my voice and encouraging other students to get involved, too.
Career goals: My favorite concept in industrial engineering is operations research. I see myself working as an operations manager in the future. In the short term, though, I’m planning to attend graduate school and pursue a Ph.D. in industrial engineering.
How she spends her free time: The Behrend women’s basketball team definitely keeps me busy during the semester. Additionally, I work as both a peer tutor and undergraduate research assistant on campus. I’m also actively involved in the Society of Women Engineers, Behrend Engineering Ambassadors, and Lion Ambassadors.
What she wishes every woman knew: As women, we often set high expectations for ourselves and the fear of failure can make us second-guess our choices in life. You should not be afraid to fail; you should try things yourself before being discouraged by someone else’s opinion or judgment. It’s better to try and fail than regret that you didn’t even try.
Ashley is happy to connect with you. How to reach her:
- LinkedIn Page: Ashley's LinkedIn Profile
- Email: [email protected]