Senior in chemical engineering named Auburn Engineering Vandegrift Co-op Student of the Year

William Nist loves a fast-paced environment. This made him a perfect fit for his Co-op with Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) in its manufacturing facility in Valdosta, Georgia.

Nist, a senior in chemical engineering, was named the Auburn Engineering 2023 Vandegrift Co-op Student of the Year. Established in honor of the former director of Auburn University’s Cooperative Education (Co-op) program, Frank Vandegrift, the award is presented each year to an outstanding Auburn Engineering Co-op student.

During his four rotations at PCA, Nist gained experience in various areas of paper machine, pulp mill, and utilities operations.

“I have had the privilege of working through a two-week mill shutdown, five boiler annual outages, three evaporator boil outs, and several other long days. These days made it clear to me that I want to start my career in a manufacturing environment,” Nist said.

In his last Co-op rotation during summer 2023, Nist created a new procedure for starting up a black liquor evaporator and concentrator systems following annual mill outages.

“The procedure went through many drafts. It had to correlate with other existing procedures, many of which I edited, and took a lot of time to complete,” Nist said.

Not only did Nist gain invaluable industry work experience, he also grew as a leader and communicator.

“I learned what it’s like to work in a 24/7 manufacturing facility, how to be a leader, how to think fast during times of crisis, and much more,” he said.

The Auburn University Co-op program offers students the opportunity to alternate semesters of full-time classroom instruction with at least three semesters of full-time paid employment. Work assignments are designed to relate to a student’s academic program and allow undergraduates to prepare for a professional career as they go through their academic career.

“After completing my co-op, I recommend it to anyone that I talk to who shows interest in doing such. It has been a great experience for me that I wish everyone could have,” Nist said.

Students participating in the Co-op program can gain up to one year of work experience before graduating. With more than 100 companies recruiting and an average salary of $20.93/hour, interested students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with Co-op coordinators via Handshake or contact Edie Irvin, assistant director for Cooperative Education and Internships at edie.irvin@auburn.edu.