July 28, 2020

Former IISE chapter president Natalie Mowery

The Mizzou chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) was recently awarded “GOLD” chapter status by its national organization. This is the sixth consecutive year the chapter has achieved that level.

Natalie Mowery was chapter president for the past two years. She described how the chapter maintains its high standard. Mowery, from Ogden, Utah, is a senior in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering (IMSE).

“The executive board wanted to increase the chapter’s membership, and in addition, provide a positive and beneficial atmosphere to keep members coming back,” Mowery said. “IISE membership has more than doubled with everyone’s hard work, communication, and persistence.”

Chapter Activities

To help create a beneficial atmosphere for students, the chapter provides opportunities for professional development, social engagement, and community service. Their bi-monthly meetings include presentations from industrial engineering professionals and company plant tours.

“Plant tours are my favorite IISE activity,” Mowery said. “It’s really interesting to see the behind-the-scenes of how products are made and distributed. Every plant tour is an amazing opportunity to learn and connect with people and companies professionally.”

“It was impressive to observe how this year’s IISE officers worked together to provide professional development opportunities for our students,” chapter advisor and associate professor Ron McGarvey said.

Previous community service projects for the chapter include participating in Mizzou Engineering’s High School Day, supporting the Adaptive Gymnastics program and joining community clean-up efforts.

One example of how Mowery personally benefited from her active involvement with IISE is her leadership growth.

“IISE provided me with leadership experiences that have helped me grow and build my resume. While leading IISE has had its challenges, every experience has given me opportunities to learn from,” Mowery said. “I’m excited to see the chapter continue to do the same for others.”