Kelly Brown (Undergrad)
- Born in Omaha, Nebraska and lived there for 12 years. Moved to Pelham, Massachusetts and lived there for 2 years. Moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and lived here for the past 7 years.
- Graduated Liberty High School in 2020
- Graduated from Penn State in Industrial Engineering in May 2024
- Works for DHL in Supply Chain
For Kelly Brown, a hobby became a gateway to a lifelong career. In a world where every child dreams of being young forever, Kelly Brown wanted the opposite. She spent much of her childhood captivated by her favorite hobby, robotics, and dreamed of the day she could finally take STEM classes at Liberty High School. When the time came, Brown enrolled in her first robotics and engineering courses through the LSU Pathways Program* and joined the Liberty High Vex Robotics Team. Brown later admitted that although she was fascinated by robotics, she initially wanted to pursue veterinary science. Although animals held a special place in her heart, nothing could have prepared her for the love she would have for the STEM world.
Through the LSU Pathways Programs, Brown retained several applicable skills ranging from computational thinking, programming, and project management, which all came in handy as she continued to progress through her college education. Brown initially had little information regarding the concept of industrial engineering but found the subject challenging and began to consider it as a future career. Through the LSU Pathways Program, Brown had the opportunity to learn about multiple STEM concepts and engineering disciplines in depth, which allowed her to further expand her knowledge in industrial engineering principles. Although robotics was Brown’s first love, industrial engineering became her new obsession. By the end of her sophomore year, Brown’s career had pivoted to an entirely new path. Brown also mentions that one of her most enjoyable classes was her Dual Enrollment economy course. Noting that the teacher was engaging and that the class concepts were stimulating and applicable to real world circumstances. “It was a breath of fresh air from your standard core classes where you’re doing coursework that isn’t necessarily directly applied to everyday life.”
For Brown, a hobby became a gateway to a lifelong passion, acknowledging that the LSU Pathways Program was a steppingstone towards her current success. Without the program, “I would most definitely not be where I am today.” Brown was able to meet impactful people who helped forge her knowledge in industrial engineering and guide her towards her passion for manufacturing and process improvement. At the end of the day, Brown states that “failure is a necessary learning opportunity,” and it happens to us all. But “no one learned anything from being correct all the time,” and regardless of all the tough classes and tests, Brown never quit. Now she is happily celebrating receiving her industrial engineering degree from Pennsylvania State University in May 2024 and has continued striding towards her goals in factory experience, accepting a position at DHL in Supply Chain. A testament to her unwavering dedication to the engineering field and the foundations she learned through the LSU Pathways.
*Offered by the LSU Gordon A. Cain Center for STEM Literacy, the LSU STEM Pathways are specialized sequences of courses that emphasize connections across STEM disciplines for middle and high school students. They consist of a series of stackable courses that prepare students for the workforce or post-secondary education. Pathways include pre-engineering, computer science, digital media and pre-healthcare. Students in these pathways can earn university certificates, industry-based credentials, and/or dual enrollment credit.
