Elena Zuidema is anticipating her First Internship

Elena Zuidema is a first-year student pursuing the dual degree in Paper Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering. Coming to college, she was interested in working in a sustainable industry and decided to add on the PSE degree after hearing about the program. This summer, Elena will be interning with International Paper in Savanna, Georgia. She chose International Paper because the company “made an effort from the start to get involved with [her] PSE 295 class in the fall by conducting mock interviews”. Besides, she couldn’t turn down the great location!

Learning is the key to success

Although Elena isn’t sure what she will be involved in during her internship quite yet, she is going to start with an open mind and is looking forward to learning more about the paper industry. She hopes to learn as much as possible about the paper-making process, apply what she has learned in class to the industry, and learn how to work in fast-paced environments. She is also very excited to explore Savannah and meet new people.

Advise would be…Get Involved

In addition to her academics, Elena is involved in TAPPI, DanceLife, and is a member of the new class of Caldwell Fellows. Her first year has been nothing short of amazing. She has learned all about time management, the importance of getting involved, and the value of finding community. Her favorite part has been growing close with her PSE classmates and getting lunch with them every day after class. Her piece of advice for next year’s freshmen is to get involved, attend the prenights, and take advantage of all the opportunities that PSE has to offer. Elena expresses that “it is much easier to learn when you care about what you are doing.”