Nicholas L’Italien: Applying chemical engineering coursework to co-ops, future career

When choosing a major, Nicholas L’Italien of Enfield, Maine sought a subject that would lead to a lot of opportunities after graduation. He settled on  chemical engineering after learning about the multiple career possibilities.

His coursework was essential preparation for his two co-ops at Madison Paper Industries in Madison, Maine.

“Engineering classes really challenge you to think outside the box, so even if some of the material we learned in class wasn’t directly applicable to the work I was doing, I still could take the problem solving skills I learned in the classroom and apply those to my job,” L’Italien says of the co-ops he called “very rewarding.”

After graduation, L’Italien plans to be a process engineer for a company in or affiliated with the pulp and paper industry and he says UMaine is helping make his goal a reality.

“The Pulp & Paper Foundation at UMaine has provided me with a countless number of resources to help make this happen, including inviting companies on-site to conduct interviews for new hire positions. Throughout the past couple months I have been in talks with many of these companies,” he says.

Why UMaine?
I chose UMaine for several reasons. First and foremost, I knew the engineering program had a good reputation for producing hard-working, quality engineers. I knew I wanted to come to a college where I could make the most of my education, and UMaine has done a great job at offering that to me. I also really like how UMaine has a large enough student body where you can meet new people every day, but at the same time it has a sort of “rural community feel” to it where everyone is really nice and personable, as well.

Your father, Marco L’Italien, is a 1986 UMaine graduate with a degree in chemical engineering and a vice president at International Grand Investment Corp. (IGIC). What did he tell you about his UMaine experience?
My father always said that college was a really fun time of his life, but he also stressed the fact that he had to work hard to be successful. He also loved the friends that he made and still stays in touch with many of them to this day.

How would you describe the academic atmosphere in the College of Engineering?
The academic atmosphere in the college of engineering is very friendly and welcoming. I feel as though everyone makes a sound effort to help me learn and succeed, whether it is a professor or someone in an administrative position. Everyone is very helpful and that makes learning easy.

Have you had an experience at UMaine that has changed or shaped the way you see the world?
I would say that being able to meet so many new people from different backgrounds has really enlightened me in a lot of ways.

Describe UMaine in one word.
Giving. UMaine has given me many different memories, friends and opportunities that have shaped me to be the person that I am today, and I am grateful for that.

What is your most memorable UMaine moment?
When I received my bid to join the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, which I am a proud member of today. Roughly 40 guys from SigEp flooded my dorm room to celebrate the opportunity that I was given, and those five minutes or so where we were all celebrating over me is something that I will never forget.

What do you hope to do after graduation and how has UMaine helped you reach those goals?
I plan to be a process engineer for a company in the pulp and paper industry (or a pulp and paper affiliated company), and UMaine has been vital in making this plan a reality. The Pulp & Paper Foundation at UMaine has provided me with a countless number of resources to help make this happen, including inviting companies on-site to conduct interviews for new hire positions. Throughout the past couple months I have been in talks with many of these companies, including making plans to have on-site interviews with some of them. None of that would have been as easy and convenient as it has been for me if it wasn’t for the Pulp & Paper Foundation at the University of Maine.

What is the most interesting, engaging or helpful class you’ve taken at UMaine?
The class that I have found most interesting and engaging is our unit operations lab, which chemical engineers take their second semester of their junior year and first semester of their senior year. In this lab we learn about different unit operations that are common in various industries by actually conducting experiments on these operations. This has been the best way for me to learn, because I could take what I was learning in some of my other engineering classes and directly relate it to the lab experiments that I was conducting.

What difference has UMaine made in your life?
UMaine has made me the person that I am today. UMaine has given me the knowledge and skill required to be successful as a professional. UMaine has provided me with the confidence that I need to take my career and my personal life to new levels. And last but certainly not least, UMaine has given me a lot of the people that I am fortunate enough to call my friends today, and who I will call my friends for many years to come. This college has given me everything I could’ve asked for, and I am very happy that I made the choice to come to UMaine.

Where will we find you in 10 years?
10 years from now I will be an integral part of the success of a manufacturing site somewhere in North America. I’m not sure what company that will be for or where they will be located, but I am confident that 10 years from now that I will be in a position to make a big difference for whatever company gives me the opportunity to do so for them.