Mechanical engineering grad ‘powers’ her way into the workforce

Qui Nguyen (B.S. ’07/En) first experienced Virginia Commonwealth University as a high school participant in the 2001 FIRST Robotics Competition for young, would-be engineers. 

During the annual regional competition that VCU hosts, Nguyen met university alumni as well as current School of Engineering students who mentored her team. 

“That really had an impact on me,” she says. “It was really cool that here was a school where people do this sort of thing.”

Nguyen also got a chance to tour the School of Engineering and meet the associate dean, who “really bowled me over with how nice and friendly everyone was,” she says.  “It was pretty much a no-brainer after that.”

Once she enrolled at VCU, Nguyen immediately bonded with her mechanical engineering classmates, especially the four other women in her major. 

“We’re all really close,” she says.  “We all still hang out every other weekend.”

As a requirement for graduation, Nguyen completed a co-op.  She worked for Honeywell, and she stayed with the company for two years. 

“The fact that VCU pushes its students to find a co-op or an internship gets them over the hurdle of going from an academic setting to a profession,” she says.  “It definitely gives students an edge over other entry-level employees who might not have had any experience at all.”

An engineer at Honeywell led Nguyen to her current position with Alstom Power in Midlothian, Va., in the instrumentation and controls department. Alstom’s clients include power plants around the world.  Nguyen’s job involves traveling to the plants to perform control-system installations.  That perk appeals to her, especially when she has to trek to, say, Hawaii, which is where she’s slated to go next year. 

“It’s going to be a two-week installation, and the closest place I can stay is a resort,” she says.  “That’s one of the nice things.”

As a VCU student, Nguyen kept busy with involvement in numerous student organizations, including the Society of Women Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the engineering sorority Zeta Phi Sigma.  She still remains active as a recent VCU graduate, especially with the School of Engineering Alumni Board. Currently, she sits on the external committee that plans alumni events. 

“It’s easy for me,” Nguyen says.  “I had all that practice with student organizations, keeping people communicating and interested.”

Future plans include sticking with Alstom and hopefully moving into a management position.  For now, Nguyen soaks up all the information her more experienced colleagues offer as she supports her company. 

“We’ve gotten to a point where we are a recognized name in the power service industry, especially in the U.S.,” she says.  “We’re winning jobs away from our competitors.  So it’s really cool.”