When Lilian Ulloa transferred to NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, she wasn’t just looking to get through her classes—she yearned for hands-on experience, leadership opportunities and a clearer path into her future career.
Last year, the Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE) major found all three in a student chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), one of about 20 organizations spanning professional societies, competition teams, honor groups and special-interest clubs at CEET.
What she didn’t know then was that she and a handful of fellow students would help transform the organization from a group with only a few active members into a growing presence.
That turnaround was reflected in the international organization conferring the group with the 2026 IISE Gold Chapter Recognition Award. The chapter provides a forum for students to network with industry leaders, resulting in exposure to potential careers, leadership opportunities, technical workshops and collaborative projects.
Ulloa served as the chapter’s social director and will be president this coming academic year. Her introduction to IISE came after volunteering at STEM Fest. Thereafter, she saw an opportunity to strengthen the chapter’s visibility through social media outreach.
Soon, additional student leaders joined the effort, creating a full executive board and helping the organization gain momentum. Colin Brinkmann (currently vice president), served as secretary, while Peter Dioro was vice president, Sebastian Rak took on the role of treasurer, Jean-Paul Veillon became public relations officer and Pratyaksh Lnu later joined as professional director.
The group planned events without knowing whether students would attend. To their surprise, turnout consistently exceeded expectations. During the spring semester, IISE hosted a professional development series featuring resume reviews, a guest speaker and a mock speed-interview event.
The chapter also organized a Family Feud-style game night designed to help students connect outside the classroom. More than once, organizers found themselves scrambling for additional refreshments as attendance surpassed projections.
“Running out of food became a good problem to have,” Ulloa said. “Students were excited to show up, connect and be part of IISE.”
Pratyaksh said the group’s efforts enabled members to “gain skills and experiences that simply cannot be taught in a classroom.”
“The experience gained through IISE is also currently helping many of us perform at a higher level, demonstrate professionalism, and maximize our learning during summer internships and other professional opportunities,” he added.
According to Rak, who will be IISE secretary this coming year, “Being part of the team that helped rebuild the organization and expand its presence on campus allowed me to see firsthand how much effort goes into creating a successful student organization. Working with the other officers taught me the value of communication, accountability and staying organized while balancing academics and other commitments.”
In addition, the experience with IISE has helped him in his current internship, with Menasha Packaging, where Rak said, “I find myself drawing on many of those same skills, especially when it came to problem solving in real-world situations.”
Faculty advisor Gary Chen said the organization’s growth reflects the environment that CEET aims to nurture, where students take ownership and create opportunities for themselves and their peers.
“One of the most rewarding parts of working with students is watching them turn an idea into something that genuinely benefits others,” Chen said. “These students have taken initiative, learned along the way and created a community where other students feel welcome. That’s exactly the kind of leadership we hope to foster in CEET.”
Chen is a longtime advisor for the organization, which also earned Gold Chapter recognition in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
The chapter’s success highlights the value of student involvement across CEET, which provide ample opportunities to build leadership, teamwork and professional skills coveted by employers.
Ulloa, an intern this summer at Zurich Insurance, believes those opportunities have been instrumental in her own growth and were instrumental as she secured her internship.
What first attracted her to Industrial and Systems Engineering was the field’s focus on understanding how people, data, technology and operations work together to solve problems. She sees that versatility as one of the discipline’s greatest strengths, opening pathways into careers ranging from engineering management and operations to consulting, analytics and quality improvement.
As she prepares to serve as chapter president during her senior year, Ulloa hopes to continue expanding awareness of both the organization and the major.
“I believe that if more students knew about the opportunities within Industrial and Systems Engineering, they would share the same excitement,” she said.
Follow the IISE chapter on Instagram and on LinkedIn.
