I joined Purdue’s Professional Master’s Program (PMP) in the Fall of 2024 after earning my undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Washington. My concentration is in polymer science. This past summer I pressed pause on my capstone for an internship with Evonik in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It turned out to be one of the most valuable decisions I have made.

The role gave me a rare combination of experiences. On one project, I was deep in strategy coordinating with procurement teams, plant staff, and vendors to ensure raw materials were purchased only from qualified suppliers. On another, I was in the lab, running distillations, exploring a new reactor, and working on experiments that supported scale-up and pilot plant operations. It was the kind of work that made me see just how intertwined engineering decisions are with business considerations.

The shift from classroom to industry was eye-opening. In school, problems come neatly defined with most of the information ready. In industry, information is scattered. You need to know where to find it, when to estimate, and who to ask, all while keeping projects moving. It is less about solving a formula and more about navigating a constantly changing puzzle.

One of my goals during the internship was to understand the different career paths within chemical engineering. I scheduled conversations with professionals across multiple sites, asking them about their backgrounds and day-to-day roles. Those discussions turned vague job titles into tangible career possibilities and gave me direction for my next steps.

If you are entering the PMP program without prior industry experience, take every chance to get it. An internship or co-op will transform what you learn in class into something tangible, give you a clearer picture of your career options, and build the confidence to step into your first role. Even if it adds a semester, the perspective, skills, and connections you gain will shape your career in ways that are worth it.

Boiler Up!