Lauren Carpenito '19
Lauren Carpenito
Class of '19
Management Engineer at Duke University Health System
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in industrial and systems engineering, I was a health system engineer at Duke Health in the performance services department. In this role, I worked with the Duke Quality Network to support 14 community hospitals across multiple states, provide assistance to senior leadership, encourage collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, and facilitate quality projects. Now, I work closely with Duke's women’s and children’s team by providing support in process improvement and analytics to better enable frontline staff to deliver their best care, ultimately impacting the patients. My responsibilities range from project managing clinic relocations to streamlining the breast milk delivery process for babies in the hospital.
In addition to working full time, I’m currently pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I’m also the current chair of the Virginia Tech Industrial and Systems Engineering Emerging Leaders Board. In my spare time, I enjoy being outdoors, going to concerts, playing in an intramural adult kickball league, and traveling to new places!
What is a guiding principle for your work?
Aligning with the idea of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), I strive to make a lasting impact. I went into healthcare because it’s a field that touches everyone's lives in one way or another. However, there are still many needs in the industry that we can continue to improve upon. Through every project I take on, I want to make a process, person, or system a little bit better to help create positive change.
How did the college equip you for the “real world”?
Virginia Tech Engineering taught me how to be a lifelong learner. In the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, we took a variety of classes that help build baseline knowledge that can be applied to any industry. In my case, I applied it to healthcare, an industry in which I had no prior knowledge. This helped me realize that I want to continue learning more about healthcare, leading me to go back to school for my Master of Healthcare Administration.
My fondest memory from my time in college is...
One of my fondest memories is spending time studying at the library with my roommates. While studying itself was not my favorite part of college, I was lucky enough to live with fellow engineers who doubled as my best friends. They made the mundane task of studying enjoyable, creating many great memories, and ensuring that we took plenty of breaks to enjoy what Virginia Tech and Blacksburg had to offer.
Why is giving back (time, talent, or treasure) to Virginia Tech important to you?
The longer I’ve been out of college, the more I realize the various opportunities Virginia Tech gave me to grow professionally and personally. By serving as the chair of the Emerging Leaders Board, I can help ensure that current students have the same amazing opportunities that I did.
Being a Virginia Tech alumna means...
Shouting that I'm a Hokie from the rooftops! If you know me, you instantly know that I'm a Hokie. As a third-generation Virginia Tech alumna, I truly believe Hokie Nation is unmatched. My friends in Raleigh are often shocked by how many people from my major I stay in touch with, which truly speaks to the amazing group of people we have in our community!
What advice would you share with your college self?
Take advantage of all Virginia Tech has to offer:
- Be engaged with a variety of clubs
- Build relationships through the amazing alumni network
- Attend the many free (or very cheap) events hosted in Blacksburg to gain exposure to new things such as attending shows at the Moss Arts Center, exploring the on-campus art galleries, participating in alumni speaking events hosted by the college, or engaging in career fairs
- And, of course, attend sporting events
Education
B.S., Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2019
Executive Masters, Healthcare Administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2023