Laura Pizano’s passion for the environment and water quality propelled her toward a path in architectural engineering.

“I’m a huge advocate for environmentally friendly solutions, so I’d love to be able to make an impact on the way plumbing systems are designed to help reduce the use of water and/or help communities that do not have access to clean water.”

Pizano was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and came to the United States when she was two years old. She chose to attend MSOE for its small class sizes, fast-paced academics and proximity to her hometown of Waukegan, Illinois. She is involved in groups across campus, including the Diversity Council, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and she is a CREATE Student Fellow. Through these groups, Pizano strives to empower others to feel connected and a sense of belonging on campus.

“I want to help create a space were students feel comfortable. I want to help others feel connected.”

SHPE changes lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support and professional development. The organization continues to work toward higher retention and recruitment of Hispanic students at MSOE and the STEM field as a whole, as well as foster and maintain strong relationships with industry partners.

The student Diversity Council works in collaboration with the faculty/staff Diversity Council to ensure equitable practices are in place throughout campus and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are central in all campus initiatives.

As a CREATE Student Fellow, Pizano works alongside her fellow peers to spread the MSOE Mindset and collaborate on servant-leadership projects at MSOE and in the community. The MSOE Mindset identifies graduates as leaders of character; responsible professionals; passionate learners; and value creators. 

“Diversity and inclusion are very important to me, and I think being a part of CREATE, SHPE and the Diversity Council at MSOE are great examples of the MSOE Mindset because they let me serve others, advocate for diverse students through my experiences, and also help me evolve the culture at MSOE.”