Sophomore chemical engineering student Emilia Mrugala will be forging her own path this upcoming summer, with an internship at one of the biggest oil refineries in the United States. She will be spending roughly 10-12 weeks at Marathon Petroleum, working at its oil refinery in Long Beach, California, and learning about the refinery process as a part of the company's process engineering internship.
She will also learn through the refinery process by learning about proper equipment, production levels and day-to-day operations at this oil refinery. Understanding the refinery process will greatly develop her skills, such as equipment management, maintaining production levels and problem-solving.
Mrugala learned about Marathon Petroleum at a sophomore retreat for chemical engineering students, hosted by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. It was open to all sophomores who had recently been accepted into chemical engineering.
Mrugala’s main reason for pursuing chemical engineering and this internship is her desire to enter the energy industry. She wants to help improve fuel and decrease carbon emissions to help fight climate change while improving alternate energy sources.
"Understanding how the refinery process works is definitely an important skill and knowledge to have as I go further and further into this industry," Mrugala said.
This internship will help her start adding the engineering industry to her resume. She said that the experience of working at a prestigious refinery will increase her engineering skills and make her a desirable candidate for any company in the future. She is looking forward to learning and gaining as much experience as possible while working in Long Beach this summer.
Mrugala’s experience in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering has given her a window into a broad range of career paths that expand beyond energy. The diverse career opportunities include industries like pharmaceuticals, materials and food and drink.
"Texas A&M has honestly provided a lot of information to go with resources to help me find these sorts of opportunities," she said. "There are a lot of internships and opportunities out there for students, at least in the energy industry, which I want to go into."
Mrugala has shown in her few years at Texas A&M University that she can wear more than one hat. She is also a student worker on the social media team in Engineering Communications.
"Overall, the College of Engineering has done a great job providing resources and keeping students aware of what is out there for them. I really encourage students to research these opportunities to help develop their future as engineers."