{"id":3560,"date":"2023-05-10T15:07:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T15:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/?p=3560"},"modified":"2024-06-24T15:13:14","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T15:13:14","slug":"industrial-engineering-grad-nowhere-else-in-the-country-could-i-have-had-the-extraordinary-experience-that-i-had-here-at-purdue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/Q2\/industrial-engineering-grad-nowhere-else-in-the-country-could-i-have-had-the-extraordinary-experience-that-i-had-here-at-purdue","title":{"rendered":"Industrial engineering grad: \u2018Nowhere else in the country could I have had the extraordinary experience that I had here at Purdue\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"purdue-initial-words-wrap\"><p class=\"purdue-initial-words wp-block-paragraph\">WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. &mdash;<\/p> \n<p>Julianna Hachenski excelled at practically every subject in elementary, middle and high school, from science and mathematics to computer science and Spanish, winning a number of awards. With seemingly unlimited options, the Saratoga Springs High School valedictorian in upstate New York was drawn to engineering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But her future was not to study at one of the many Ivy League schools that were within a half-day\u2019s drive from her hometown \u2013 even after being accepted at 10 colleges including Princeton, Cornell and a host of other Big Ten universities. Hachenski was bound to be a Boilermaker.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the eve of this weekend\u2019s 2023 Spring Commencement, confirming her giant leap as a Purdue University alum with a bachelor\u2019s degree in industrial engineering, Hachenski wouldn\u2019t change a thing about her decision four years ago to attend this Big Ten university. And she\u2019s convinced her time here has prepared her well as she launches her industrial engineering career this fall at Boston Consulting Group in Durham, North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"187\" src=\"https:\/\/new.www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/hachenski-laptopLO.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3562\" title=\"\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Purdue\u2019s Class of \u201923 member Julianna Hachenski. (Purdue University photo\/John Underwood)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNowhere else in the country could I have had the extraordinary experience that I had here at Purdue. And if I was to do it all over again, I would make the exact same decision. I would do it the exact same way,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Many options = Purdue engineering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The oldest daughter of two Michigan State University engineering alumni, Hachenski initially explored computer science, software engineering and business. To test those interests, she took a computer science internship as a high school junior. While she enjoyed coding and problem-solving, however, she discovered a computer science career wasn\u2019t in her DNA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy the time I started looking for colleges and what I wanted to do, I was torn between this idea of a background in business and being able to understand how companies think about problems, how finances come into play, how bringing things to market came into play, while also having this passion as an engineer for wanting to intimately understand how things work and how a system interacts on the technical side,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visiting colleges throughout the East and Midwest, she intently examined the campus cultures where she would be challenged in her studies, have opportunities to engage with prospective employers and alumni, and \u2013 equally important \u00ad\u2013 enjoy life outside the classroom. But where would she study? And where would she take her credentials as valedictorian of her high school class of 536 students and a diverse array of academic and extracurricular achievements?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enter Purdue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During her campus visit, she was struck by the many possibilities, especially the buzz about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdueesc.org\/employers\/industrial-roundtable-information\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Industrial Roundtable<\/a>, the annual job fair organized by the Purdue Student Engineering Council that attracts over 400 companies and 12,000 students. She learned of internship opportunities, about alumni who returned to campus to visit with students, about industry seminars and other networking activities. Meeting with a sophomore industrial engineering student, she got a more personal glimpse of a fuller Purdue experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEven though I wasn\u2019t technically a part of it yet, I could see that Purdue students seemed excited to be here. They talked about their classes with such an interest and the fact that they got to work on group projects and attend sporting events,\u201d she says. \u201cThere was so much more to the Purdue experience. That didn\u2019t resonate for me at other college campuses.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She was so convinced Purdue would be in her future that she bought a Boilermaker T-shirt and wore it to school the next week. \u201cI showed up to my high school classes with my Purdue T-shirt, and my teachers and friends were shocked and said, \u2018You can\u2019t go to Purdue \u2014 you\u2019ve been accepted at Princeton and Cornell,\u2019\u201d Hachenski recounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More than just an engineering track<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In customizing her Purdue experience, she centered on academics in the rigorous engineering program but seasoned that with available social activities outside the classroom. Her choice to pursue industrial engineering crystallized. She loved how it blended the broad business worlds of integrated systems, engineering, information, technology, software, manufacturing and other concepts with that human element. Not to mention the career options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confirming that path, she landed four internships with three companies during her time at Purdue \u2013 General Mills, Land O\u2019Lakes and The Walt Disney Co. \u2013 that provided her the value of 14 months of real-world experience. She gained insights in areas such as strategic sourcing, analysis, industry assessments, budget proposals, software purchasing, supply chain management and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just fell in love with the idea of being an industrial engineering student at Purdue. It ticked all those boxes on my list,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I discovered that I loved focusing on supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In between her classwork and maybe a few hours of sleep every night, Hachenski got her money\u2019s worth in her pursuit to become a well-rounded Purdue graduate, serving in a number of roles in her extracurricular activities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recruitment volunteer for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/wiep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Women in Engineering Program<\/a>, where she put to words her thoughts on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/purduewiep.blogspot.com\/2020\/10\/purdues-community-what-its-like-living.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what it\u2019s like living on campus<\/a>\u00a0for future Boilermakers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project manager at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/purduethink.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PurdueTHINK<\/a>, offering counseling for campus organizations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/stories.purdue.edu\/step-inside-paint-crew-the-student-section-of-purdue-mens-basketball\/#:~:text=The%20official%20student%20section%20of,so%20much%20more%20than%20basketball.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paint Crew<\/a>\u00a0and Ross-Ade Brigade member for student sections at basketball and football games.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ambassador for Admissions, where she staffed the Welcome Center and served as a weekly tour guide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alyssa Wilcox, senior vice president for partnerships and the Purdue president\u2019s chief of staff, and her husband, Michael, assistant director of Purdue Extension, met Hachenski four years ago, when word traveled from her hometown that she was planning to be a Boilermaker. Michael\u2019s family lives in Saratoga Springs, and he and Alyssa during a visit decided to meet her to answer any questions she might have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMichael and I reached out to Julianna and were immediately struck by her enthusiasm for Purdue and her drive for success. We exchanged contact information and let Julianna know that we would make ourselves available if she ever needed anything \u2013 a home away from home,\u201d Alyssa says. Michael adds, \u201cWe didn\u2019t hear from her because, come to find out, Purdue had become \u2018home\u2019 for her. As a Saratogian and a Purdue alumnus as well, I am extremely pleased and unsurprised that everything worked out swimmingly for Julianna.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenges of time management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the transition to the hectic academic culture of college from the bubble of high school was a major challenge for Hachenski. She points to lessons learned in improving her time management skills and how to weigh competing priorities. \u201cI\u2019ve always been all right at time management. But at Purdue, it kind of ballooned on this massive scale,\u201d she says. \u201cI needed to learn how to time-manage. Thankfully, I learned that very early as a freshman.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also gained an appreciation for the essential role communication plays for STEM-related majors \u2013 and Purdue\u2019s COM 114 requirement for all engineering students. Hachenski can\u2019t remember a week where she didn\u2019t have to give, or at least prepare, a presentation for one of her classes, confirming why all graduates need to be comfortable in public speaking. \u201cCommunication is the most important skill that I\u2019ve seen in industry and in my experience,\u201d she says in offering advice to other Purdue students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finishing strong as a Boilermaker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hachenski is not slowing down one bit, running hard through to the finish of her final hours as a Purdue undergraduate. \u201cYeah, it\u2019s all good. It\u2019s all going to get done,\u201d she says. In the weeks leading up to graduation, she\u2019s done three presentations, submitted four reports and had countless final project meetings with classmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAll of that together \u2013&nbsp;the extracurriculars, the athletics, the community, the collaborative classes, the internships, the networking \u2013&nbsp;is really what I found was the most incredible and the most special thing about Purdue,\u201d she says. \u201cWith graduation coming up, that\u2019s the amazing college experience that I got to have. And I couldn\u2019t be more grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Purdue University<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today\u2019s toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last five years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News &amp; World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/stories.purdue.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/stories.purdue.edu<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"note\" class=\"post-content__attribution \">\n    <div class=\"columns\"> \n                    <div class=\"column\"> \n                <p class=\"post-content__source\">\n                    <strong>Writer:<\/strong>\u00a0Phillip Fiorini,\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:pfiorini@purdue.edu\">pfiorini@purdue.edu<\/a>, 765-430-6189<br><strong>Media contacts:\u00a0<\/strong>Tim Doty,\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:doty2@purdue.edu\">doty2@purdue.edu<\/a>, Trevor Peters,\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:peter237@purdue.edu\">peter237@purdue.edu<\/a>                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. &mdash; Julianna Hachenski excelled at practically every subject in elementary, middle and high school, from science and mathematics to computer science and Spanish, winning a number of awards. With seemingly unlimited options, the Saratoga Springs High School<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"department":[31],"source":[],"purdue_today_topic":[72,74],"coauthors":[65],"class_list":["post-3560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","department-engineering","purdue_today_topic-general","purdue_today_topic-people"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3560"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3567,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560\/revisions\/3567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/source?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"purdue_today_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/purdue_today_topic?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=3560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}