Ivey Wilson has a commitment to service that transcends the everyday. Her commitment to serve and create a better future has inspired many of her life choices, from choosing Texas A&M University to a career in nuclear engineering. Wilson is the 2019 Student Officer of the Year, president of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) student chapter and a Mitty C. Plummer scholarship recipient.
Wilson’s path to nuclear engineering began in high school with a strong interest in physics. “I always wanted to do something that had a greater impact and I knew my degree had to include making a positive contribution to the future,” she said. “Nuclear energy is a safe, clean energy source.”
She was drawn to Texas A&M based on the size of the nuclear engineering program (the largest in the nation) and the fact that they’re ranked number three nationally. “I joined ANS my freshman year because I thought it was one of the best ways to navigate the entry-to-a-major process and decide if nuclear was where I truly wanted to be,” she adds. “I would recommend other freshmen join as well.”
Wilson enjoys ANS because it covers the whole spectrum of the nuclear industry and brings students from across the department together to learn, network and socialize. “Our greatest asset is networking,” she said. “Creating community creates opportunity. Networking helps you find opportunities both in college and during your career. It’s also just great to get to know the people in your classes.”
This year ANS started a new initiative: The Atoms Family. The Atoms Family is a peer mentor group where upperclassman
Wilson recommends students seeking success in the nuclear field do their best to look for “stretch” opportunities, such as undergraduate research and internships.
“It’s important for an undergraduate to research the industry, especially the first two years, and to find a professor in the department who you can talk to, that way you feel secure taking your life in the direction you want to go,” she said. “It’s also okay to not know exactly what you want to do and explore your options. I’ll never forget doing undergraduate research with Dr. (Mark) Kimber. He took the time once a week to teach me new lab concepts, was very patient with the learning curve and was equally happy with my accomplishments.”
Energizing Entergy
Wilson interned at Entergy Nuclear, which places interns where they think they will thrive. For Wilson this meant being at the forefront of nuclear engineering and licensing at their corporate headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi. She recommends visiting the location in person before starting a job or internship if possible and exploring the new town. Wilson also enjoyed the mentorship of her female supervisor, who went on plant tours with her and connected her with upper executives in the company.
“I absolutely loved my internship at Entergy in Nuclear Engineering Programs,” said Wilson. “I felt the experience was not only a great way to apply the knowledge I obtained in the classroom, but also to grow as an individual within the professional world. Entergy values its interns and was dedicated to ensuring we maximized the most out of each day on the job, which in turn made me value the company even more and decide to pursue industry after graduating in May.”Wilson appreciated their focus on philanthropy and service to local communities, and now looks forward to service days on the job when she can go out and volunteer. “It’s important to put yourself out there and to apply for things, even if they’re off your radar,” she said. “Always ask questions, both during the interview and on the job, it lets the company know more about you and helps you to know your co-workers. That’s how I was able to work on multiple projects beyond my own.”
In the end, Wilson decided to pursue a career at Entergy headquarters after graduation to have a greater contribution in the nuclear field. In the future she would like to pursue a master's degree in law and regulation and obtain more plant experience to become a leader in the industry.