Laurel Welch thinks there’s more to being an engineer than just scales and drafting tools, so she has dedicated herself to growing creatively in and out of the office in order to bring inspiration and new perspectives into her work. Whether that’s through salsa and swing dancing, learning new languages like Spanish and Italian, attending theater performances, or being physically active, Laurel is determined to broaden her horizons.

“Leaders never stop learning,” she often says, quoting Christine Caine. These words remind her that in any project or situation, there is an opportunity to learn something new, both personally and professionally. As an Engineer in Training specializing in highways, Laurel loves working on a variety of projects with unique challenges that allow her to flex her creativity and find ingenious solutions. Her work on highway and drainage design in the office and site visits contribute to the diversity in projects that she enjoys so much. Being able to see the various project sites in person gives her a personal connection and better understanding of her work, and assists her in developing better solutions.

Laurel thrives off of personal connection with her work. She wants to use her engineering skills in the future to benefit communities suffering from lack of infrastructure and help support their growth and local culture. As her motto goes, she strives to “do everything possible to leave the world a better place.” Her drive to push herself started with the academically and personally challenging high school experience at the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science and carried on to her pursuit of a bachelor’s in civil engineering at the University of Florida. By constantly pursuing opportunities out of her comfort zone and local geography – first moving to Florida and then to Philadelphia for her career – Laurel has had the chance to grow immensely. She has further goals of starting a master’s program and being a project manager and practice leader. She is also currently working towards her PE license. “A good leader is a good servant,” she says, and Laurel is doing everything she can to continuously develop herself and her skills to better serve her clients, the community, and her organization.