These scholarships also provided an incentive to maintain a high GPA and make the most of her college experience. “Mechanical engineering has a daunting courseload, so it’s easy to get bogged down in the ‘school’ part of school,” Caitlyn said. “But there’s also value in growing as a person while in college through expanding your views and communicating with people who have different opinions.”
As a result, Caitlyn sought opportunities to stretch herself outside of the classroom. That led to Fish Camp, where she served as a counselor, and a women’s organization, both of which gave her a sense of community and experiences tied to leadership, socialization and philanthropy. “The Caitlyn who graduated high school in 2012 is completely different from the Caitlyn who graduated college,” she noted. “I was very introverted and quiet coming into Texas A&M, but those experiences pulled me out of my comfort zone.”
Drilling Deep
The Aggie’s emerging talent soon gained notice, with Shell giving her three internships before hiring her after graduation. She now serves as a project engineer for Sparta Development, one of Shell’s deepwater projects, and credits Texas A&M for her preparation.
“I’m here to solve problems, be fluid and go where they need me to go,” she said. “Mechanical engineering prepared me well by teaching me how to think strategically and providing a great technical foundation. Another big part of what I do is stakeholder management and communications, and I learned a lot of that through Fish Camp and other organizational opportunities.”
As for her future, she continues to follow the excellence that sets Aggies apart. She’s pursuing an Executive MBA from Duke University to deepen her knowledge of finance and economics so she can play a broader role in the organization. “I would love to be a leader who delivers value to Shell and its shareholders while also continuing to support an inclusive culture where we live the values we speak and people feel safe to be authentic,” she explained.
