Chemical Engineering Student Gains Professional Experience in Co-op Program

CU chemical engineering student Candace Vaughn may not graduate as quickly as some of her classmates, but it’s certain she’ll have more on-the-job experience when she does. 

Candace alternates semesters taking classes with semesters working at Roche Colorado, a Boulder pharmaceutical company.  As part of the chemical and biological engineering department’s Cooperative Education Program, she gains paid professional experience while completing the requirements for her undergraduate degree.

Students in the co-op program can earn enough money to pay for their entire college tuition bill and living expenses, and their time counts towards their employment status with the companies for which they work.  While such programs may add up to a full year to students’ time in college, students graduate with a host of marketable skills and professional contacts.

“I don’t really see the extra time required as a downside because I’m gaining much more experience, which will make me a lot more competitive in the workplace,” says Candace. “The co-op also enhances your understanding of the field and adds relevancy to the classes you’re taking.”

In addition to her co-op internship, Candace has a minor in biochemistry and does undergraduate research in nano-particle atomic layer deposition with a CU professor. She is also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, Mortar Board, and the Big 12 Legislative Council, and she plays the flute.

For more information about co-op programs available in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, contact Terry Mayes at Terry.Mayes@Colorado.edu or 303-735-6446.

Ashley Moore Aerospace Scholarship Jeff Lyng Building Systems/ Solar Decathlon Brad Klingenberg Applied Mathematics Contest Candace Vaughn Chemical Engineering Co-op Brian Stephens- Hotopp Environmental Engineering Maria Belmonte- Rivas Aerospace Engineering