In early 2024, Lorena Quintanilla found herself at a crossroads. She had recently earned her high school diploma while working as a manager assistant at Corning's Reynosa Warehouse Distribution Center in Mexico. With one goal accomplished, she began to dream about how far she could go. A colleague told Lorena about a Corning program that supports girls and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. The new Reynosa program was offering funding for Corning women employees to pursue engineering degrees.
“My family and colleagues encouraged me to take advantage of this opportunity. They saw the potential I had, and my desire to get ahead in life. So, I took the leap," Lorena says
Now, Lorena is thriving – she's advancing her career at Corning and studying mechatronics engineering at a nearby university. Her future in the workforce is looking brighter than ever.
A dream begins
Born in Reynosa as the second of four girls, Lorena had to end her education after middle school. This mother of two worked in telecommunications services sales for a while, but the work schedule and times of the shifts didn't jibe well with family life. Lorena found a role as a production operator for Corning in 2017 but had to leave after a few months as the needs of her young family shifted. She was thrilled to rejoin Corning in 2019 as a data collector for Reynosa Components & Solutions. Within two years, Lorena moved into the Lean Department as an assistant. Her skills and professionalism led to her current role in Reynosa Warehouse Distribution.
“Over time, I realized that to continue developing professionally, I had to continue my education," Lorena said. In 2022, she decided to finally earn her high school diploma. After that, Lorena set her sights even higher and started gathering information about what it would take to advance her studies.
“That's when a colleague told me about Choices," Lorena recalls.
New Choices in Mexico
Corning employees started the Choices program 32 years ago at Corning Headquarters in New York to showcase the company's many career opportunities to local middle school girls. Corning Mexico hosted its first version of Choices in 2023, expanding the mission to also build mentor programs between Corning employees and university students.
For the Choices Mexico team, helping current employees break through barriers was of critical importance. They developed a scholarship program to support 20 women employees in their pursuit of engineering degrees. Lorena was intrigued.
She knew further education would open more doors at Corning, and she learned that Corning's partnership with the Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores (IIES) would cater to the busy schedules of these employees, many of whom are mothers.
“The class schedules are adapted in such a way that the women can work, study, and raise their families," Lorena says.
The program seemed promising. Still, Lorena felt unsure of herself. The program offered a degree in mechatronics engineering, a multidisciplinary field that combines mechanics, electronics, and computing.
“It all seemed so complicated," she says. But her colleagues and loved ones supported her and encouraged Lorena to apply. And that's exactly what Lorena did. She landed the scholarship and enrolled.
A career is calling
Now, Lorena is learning how to balance her work, personal life, and studies.
“Although this can be difficult, I have strong support from my family, work supervisors, and classmates. It helps me feel even more motivated to complete my studies," she says.
After finishing her degree, Lorena hopes to explore new work areas at Corning, believing she can make a difference in manufacturing.
But she's also paying homage to the program that supported her. At a July 2024 kickoff event at IIES, Lorena spoke before the crowd of engineering students, university faculty and staff, and supporters, thanking the Choices Mexico team.
“It is a privilege to be part of a company that values and promotes continuous learning and the development of its women employees," Lorena said that day. “We deeply appreciate the constant support of our leadership and colleagues, who have been an invaluable source of inspiration and guidance throughout this educational journey."
Now, she's getting involved more involved with the Choices program where she can help more women see beyond limits.
“If I can be an example of a success story and help out some other women by leading the way, I'd feel very proud," Lorena says.
