Beckley, W.Va. – Carmen Camino Falcon, originally from Peruto del Rosario, Spain, has spent the last five years at WVU Tech. She completed her bachelor's degree in civil engineering last May and is graduating again this spring with a degree in mathematics. Her hard work has paid off, and has accepted a position with Worley, a chemical and structural engineering company in Charleston, West Virginia after graduation.
“I was interested in this company because they do engineering and something related to renewable and clean energy, which is one of my areas of interest in engineering,” Falcon explained.
“I love civil engineering because it can be as big as you want,” she says. “Every time I had a project or research topic, I always came back to something about renewable energy or how to reduce non-renewable energies.”
Because of COVID, she had planned to continue her career at Tech even after she completed her civil engineering degree since she had an additional year of eligibility to run track and cross country. However, she met with Worley after completing her civil engineering degree, and they knew she wouldn't start working right away. They were great, she said, and they agreed to take her on as an employee after she completed her math degree. She knew she wanted to work with this company from her first interview.
“It was the only job I applied for. It was either this job or get my master’s degree,” she says.
Her job will allow her to work on infrastructure related to clean and renewable energy projects, and she hopes to be able to design systems that can help with renewable energy production. Working in Charleston, she said, there’s room for new systems to be designed and built to help bring clean energy into the city and state.
“I knew I wanted to stay in the United States, so who knows where I might be in 15 years, but West Virginia is my favorite state I’ve been to so far, and I’ve visited a lot of states,” she says. “The city of Charleston just has something that I like. It has something very, very appealing.”
As an international student, she was brought to Beckley by her desire to continue running at the college level. She was equally impressed by the engineering program and found Tech to be the right fit.
Along with a decorated running career, including being an NAIA Nationals Qualifier twice and holding nine school records combined in both indoor and outdoor track and field events, Falcon has been very involved in all parts of campus life. She has been a student tutor for four years, a Resident Assistant in the residence halls, a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, began the Space Club, of which she is currently President, volunteers for the engineering summer bridge program and serves as a student assistant for the track and field team.
She credits her friends and all the faculty, including Dr. Hahn and Dr. Chun, whom she interacts with regularly on the Tech campus for her positive experience.
“I will miss the people,” she says of what she will miss most about Tech. “I will miss it every day.”
“I would encourage them to open up to people and use the opportunities Tech gives you, which are a lot. Say yes and embrace those opportunities. It changed my life and my experience,” she says.
Falcon is excited to organize her time around what she wants to do and not around athletics and academics after graduation, including reading for fun and drawing.
“West Virginia is my home and I’m ready to give back to a community that has welcomed me with open arms and loving hearts,” she says.