Oliver Arukwe '23

“I'm honestly so fortunate for my time here at UMass; I grew, learned, and enjoyed almost every second. I say almost because engineering is challenging and I couldn't have done it without support from the UMass National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Chapter! They really kept me grounded during difficult times and kept me inspired throughout my experience here. NSBE gave me the confidence to take ownership of my chemical engineering degree and education, which became prevalent with my effort, intention, and patience. I highly encourage prospective students of color to join Engineering Student Organizations, so they can expand their potential and amplify their ideas with like-minded students while also pouring out innovative ideas to the rest of campus.”

During his time at UMass, Oliver has been a Teaching Assistant for Heat and Mass Transfer, served on the Chemical Engineering DEI Committee, participated in the Leadership Academy, and completed a Process Engineering internship at the engineering consulting company Burns & McDonnell.

After graduation, Oliver will be moving to Houston, TX, to join Burns & McDonnell as an Assistant Chemical Engineer. He'll be assisting project teams in creating and executing designs for a wide variety of projects, including power, process, healthcare, airport, industrial, manufacturing, and government facilities.