"In my work, my writing and my presentation skills have to be on point. So going to Sewanee, where I was able to work on those skills, made me more well-rounded as an engineer."

Gayle Manacsa, C’21

Project Engineer, Wacker Polysilicon

Gayle Manacsa, C’21

Sewanee chemistry major Gayle Manacsa, C’21, discusses her journey from a liberal arts education at Sewanee to a position as an engineer at Wacker Polysilicon. Topics covered include her participation in the 3-2 engineering program at Sewanee and Washington University in St. Louis, and the ways in which her liberal arts background made her stand out while seeking technical roles on the job market. 

Gayle MAnacsa, C’21

Project Engineer, Process & Mechanical, Wacker Polysilicon

Major: Chemistry

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW? WHAT IS AN INTERESTING PROJECT ON WHICH YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING?

I am a process and mechanical engineer at Wacker Polysilicon in Charleston, Tennessee. I was part of the 3-2 engineering program at Sewanee, which is a dual-degree program. So after three years at Sewanee, I went to Washington University in St. Louis for two years and graduated with both degrees before getting hired at Wacker. I do a lot of engineering for the company, working on capital projects. Right now, I'm working on finishing up a great project focused on making the plant more efficient. If you've heard the term bottlenecking, my job was to help de-bottleneck the process by placing two pumps and a heat exchanger to help the plant process materials.

How did Sewanee help you to develop career readiness and prepare you to succeed?

I love talking about how Sewanee made me such a good engineer. There's this idea out there that you have to go to a four-year technical college to get all your technical skills upfront, so I wasn't sure if the liberal arts program was the best path. But it turned out to be the best decision for me because there are so many skills that technical colleges do not emphasize. I am on 12 different teams and have meetings every single day, so my writing skills have to be on point and my presentation skills have to be excellent. I talk with CEOs and department heads who need clear communication, which is something that is very core at Sewanee. Going to Sewanee and having that liberal arts environment made me more well-rounded. I still have all my technical skills, but I also was able to develop great soft skills.

Looking back, what are the actions you took or decisions you made that now stand out as particularly important?

Being so involved while at Sewanee. My sophomore year, I was in everything—I worked with the Office of Admission, organized my first Asian student conference, got involved with HOLA [Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness], I was a Sewanee angel, a proctor ... just everything. And being part of those groups, where you meet and talk to so many different kinds of people, really prepares you to be able to be a team player. And that's something that you do on a daily basis as an engineer. You meet someone new every day and have to work with them to be able to reach your common goals.

What advice do you have for students looking ahead to their future careers?

I know right now that the job market seems so competitive, but know that the skills you have are highly desirable. Like I said, I didn't think that coming from a liberal arts background would make me desirable as an engineer. But—and my manager actually told me this—I got my job because in the interview I was able to answer his questions concisely, communicate well, and show that I could do the work.