November 2018 Student of the Month

Breanna Ellis

Senior

When and where was your undergraduate co-op experience?

I had the opportunity of working with some great engineers at Denso Manufacturing, Inc. in Maryville, TN. My co-op experience lasted from May 2017 to August 2018.

Tell us about your co-op.

Denso is an automotive parts manufacturer and one of the top suppliers to major automakers. During my co-op, I worked in the Starter/Alternator Division in Parts Production Engineering group. My department worked with the cutting lines which machined starter housings and alternator frames. For one project, I developed an automated database for Quality Control (QC) to use during their daily inspections of the induction hardening process on drive shafts. This allowed for an hour to be shaven off a 4-hour process. I also headed the automation removal from a process on one of the frame lines that resulted in a 25% machine operating ratio (MOR) increase. These are just a couple of the many projects I worked with.

How did the experience benefit you?

I was able to develop my professional skills all the way to software skills. Being able to work alongside engineers and being treated like a full-time engineer allowed me to really see what I had in store upon graduation. I was also able to see that what I’m learning class is going to aid me in the real world. But I believe my greatest benefit from this whole experience was discovering that I love working in manufacturing.

Do you have any advice for other students considering a co-op or internship?

I think if you are interested in a co-op or internship, then you should go for it. There are so many opportunities out there for us. What made me pursue a co-op was my desire to do hands on work. The best advice I can give is to make sure that you get some type of experience before graduating whether it be through research, internship, or co-op. This is very important because these experiences allow you to figure out what you like and don’t like early on opposed to trying to figure it out after graduation.

What else are you involved in?

I am an Ambassador for the Office of Engineering Professional Practice. We’re located in 110 Perkins Hall. Our job is to help engineering students obtain co-op and internship experiences. We do this through our engineering expo in both the fall and spring, mock interviews, resume critiques, and our advisors can help get you connected with various companies. You should come by to see us. I am also involved with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) which is an organization that strives to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. I actually served as Vice President during my co-op and as other positions on the board for 3 years prior to that. But while I’m not on campus, my most exciting hobby is playing around and caring for my 6 month old puppy!