Meet senior Lizett Pink (above, left), a chemical engineering major with a minor in engineering corporate practice. She’s also the president of the Notre Dame chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). In this Student Q&A, Pink tells us what she loves about engineering and her SWE activities, and she offers some advice for future Notre Dame students.
Major: Chemical engineering
Minor: Engineering corporate practice
Residence hall: Lewis Hall
Clubs and campus involvement:
Faith and Liturgical Commissioner, Lewis Hall
President, Lewis Hall
Resident Assistant, Lewis Hall
President, Society of Women Engineers
Tour Guide, Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Why did you choose your major and minor?
I chose my major because in high school math and chemistry were my favorite classes. This combination led perfectly to chemical engineering. During my sophomore year, I decided to add my minor because I was interested in exploring the business side of engineering.
Have you always been passionate about these topics?
Yes, math has always been my favorite subject. Ever since I was a little girl, I would sit around doing math problems. I used to get a magazine called Math Soup where I could do logic problems for fun.
How did you get involved with the Society of Women Engineers?
Pink (second from right) and fellow SWE members at the 2016 National SWE Conference in Philadelphia
The first time I was exposed to SWE was the summer before my first year. I remember getting three newsletters that summer about engineering, life at Notre Dame, and contact information in case I had any questions. I was so impressed by the welcome. I went to the first meeting and a few volunteer events and have been involved in SWE ever since.
What kind of work do you do through SWE?
Through SWE, I have been given the opportunity to participate in volunteer events with middle- and high school-aged girls to encourage them to study engineering. This includes one of my favorite events, Girl Scout Day, where we bring 50-60 girls to campus and set up a day of engineering activities. There are four rotations through different engineering disciplines. For chemical engineering they make slime, marble roller coasters for mechanical engineering, toothpick bridges for civil engineering, and coded bracelets for computer science.
In addition, we offer many business development events, including a workshop with four different sessions on leadership, being a female in engineering, dressing for success, and tips to succeed in your first job. Lastly, SWE brings in great speakers to learn about the many things that are relevant to women in engineering.
What’s your favorite thing about being involved in SWE?
My favorite thing about SWE is meeting other female engineers. Being a male-dominated major, it’s nice to have a place where I can meet other women in engineering. I have found some of my closest friends through SWE. Having that support system has been so important to my career as an engineer, it’s great to have other girls to lean on and encourage you to succeed.
Are you involved in other activities on campus?
Pink with a with a student on a service trip to Paintsville, KY, where she spent the week volunteering at Our Lady of the Mountains School
During my time at Notre Dame, I have also been really involved with the Center for Social Concerns, participating in many of their service seminars. I am also an admissions tour guide. The summer after my freshman year, I studied abroad in Alcoy, Spain through the Engineering Study Abroad program and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
After my sophomore year, I spent the summer doing research here on campus with one of my professors. This summer, I’m interning as a Security and Infrastructure consultant for West Monroe Partners in Chicago, where I will be returning full-time after graduation.
Tell us something not everyone knows about you.
I’m a big fan of post-it notes and making lists, I have a very long Notre Dame bucket list! When you meet me you’ll learn very quickly that I love hugs, anything sparkly, running, food, Disney, and fuzzy socks! (Basically, I’ll always be a little kid at heart!)
What are some items on your Notre Dame bucket list?
Pink (left) with a fellow SWE member working the Lewis Hall game day concession stand in their signature chicken suits
Some items on my Notre Dame bucket list are:
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Go to every dorm mass
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Polar Plunge
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Study Abroad
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Win an interhall sports championship
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Paint up for a football game
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Get married in the Basilica
Do you have any advice for future Notre Dame students?
My one piece of advice to students applying to Notre Dame is be yourself. One of my favorite things about the community is that everyone is passionate about something, but everyone is passionate about a different something. In addition, get involved and go to as many activities as you can your first year with as many clubs as you are interested in. This way you can see everything and decide which clubs you would like to get more involved with later on.