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Kennedi Gordy is a junior mechanical engineering student who has brought her skills from student organizations into her professional career in her engineering internships and co-ops. 

Gordy is a part of the Delta Sigma chapter for the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. As the current Vice President of Communications and Campus Relations, this is her first executive position in the chapter.

“I have been sisterhood chair, inclusion chair, service chair; I was our VP of Recruitment’s assistant, I was also our historian assistant,” Gordy said. “They’re all very different. In this one, I’m more involved and I help make a few more decisions.”

Originally from East Texas, Gordy decided to go Greek to meet new friends in her new home at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, convincing her roommate to join her.

“My freshman year, I came here and I literally didn’t know a single soul,” Gordy shared. “I thought this might be the best way to meet somebody. I wanted to be involved in some sort of way, and my roommate did it with me.”

Gordy decided to go to Zeta during the recruitment process, as she met all the members who were a part of the chapter.

“They were super outgoing and funny,” Gordy shares. “I knew this was the [sorority] I wanted to join.”

As for her roommate, she joined Zeta as well.

“We would not have been such good friends without this sorority,” she said. “We had to do so many events together, and so we’ve gotten so much closer. She’s actually getting married in the spring and I’m going to be her maid of honor.”

Not only has Gordy found lifelong friends, but she’s also learned many skills that have helped pave the way for her career as an engineer. Gordy had the opportunity to intern at BASF in Beaumont during summer and fall of 2024. This last summer, she worked in Freeport, Texas for Olin Corporation.

“Communication is a big thing,” Gordy shared. “You are going to talk to a ton of different people, a lot of them you won’t know at all, so it’s super important that you aren’t scared to go talk to them.”

Along with her sorority, Gordy is also the 2025-2026 vice president for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapter at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. This role has also set her up for success in her internships and co-ops.

“Being super involved challenges you to be organized, and also well rounded,” Gordy said. “When you’re doing internships, you are going to have a lot of different projects thrown at you, so you need to make sure you are organized and staying on top of those.”

Gordy has also found that her abilities  in a leadership role have helped her learn to take initiative, step up, and volunteer to help others.

“[Your mentor] is not just going to hand you every project, you need to be able to go find work on your own,” she said.

Following in the footsteps of her older sister, who was also a mechanical engineer, Gordy was inspired to become an engineer from her high school “Systems Go Rocketry” class taught by Coach Park. In this class, she was a part of building a 15-foot rocket that was launched at a NASA military base in White Sands, New Mexico.

“My teacher was a huge advocate for engineering. We did lots of problem solving; we had to talk to lots of engineers and do panels to explain our rocket,” Gordy shared. “Because it had to be safe and meet certain requirements.”

Finding the root cause of an issue and coming up with a solution for the issue is what brings Gordy a thrill in both her classes and her previous internships.

“Mechanical [engineering] has a lot to do with problem solving, and a lot of it is finding out that base problem, going from there and trying to fix it,” she stated. “That’s always been really interesting to me, figuring out why we do things.”

In just a few short weeks, Gordy will be attending the SWE National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is excited to attend this event for the first time.

"I’m really excited to go and experience it and talk to so many different companies,” Gordy shared. “I’ve heard it’s a really great networking opportunity.”

The national SWE Conference includes workshops for current and future engineers, professional development sessions, and a career fair of engineering and technology featuring more than 400 organizations from across the globe. The College of Engineering is excited to support 13 SWE members - and an additional 20 more students - attending the conference.

“The College of Engineering has been instrumental in helping me attend by providing both financial support and encouragement to pursue professional development opportunities like this,” Gordy said.

Between her student organizations and her love for finding solutions, Gordy is prepared for her future as an engineer. With two years left of her degree, she doesn’t plan on slowing down as she capitalizes on the momentum of her progress at Lamar.

“Being involved in student organizations at Â鶹ÊÓƵ has been one of the most impactful parts of my college experience. I’ve gained more than just leadership experience — I’ve found mentorship, community, and a strong support system,” Gordy shared. “These organizations have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop confidence in my abilities. Looking ahead, I’m excited to carry these experiences into my career — continuing to grow, lead, and uplift others the way these organizations have done for me.”

To learn more about Lamar’s SWE chapter, visit https://www.instagram.com/swe.lamar/.

To learn more about Zeta Tau Alpha’s Delta Sigma chapter, visit https://www.instagram.com/lu_zta/.

To learn more about Engineering at Lamar, visit lamar.edu/engineering.