It’s not everyday that the Director of Space Systems Operations at Raytheon Missiles & Defense tells you that he sees himself in you, but that’s exactly what happened for TCNJ mechanical engineering senior Rachel Petruska. This summer she interned at Raytheon supporting the Space Systems Operations sector, “troubleshooting and commissioning a multi-million dollar project that reduced processing time by 50%,” and programming the accompanying Spot Welding Robot. Petruska says that learning how vital process improvements are to a company’s success is one of the biggest takeaways from her internship experience this summer. Rachel will be returning back to Tucson, Arizona post-graduation to work full time as a Manufacturing Engineer within Operations for Raytheon.
Her drive and impact have not been limited to her excellence at Raytheon, but also manifest in leadership at TCNJ, serving as a captain and treasurer of the women’s club lacrosse team, publicity chair of the Society of Automotive Engineers, and member of Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society and the Society of Women Engineers.
