Student Spotlight: Addison Clauss
| Author: | Dave Montgomery |
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Meet Addison Clauss!
Addison Clauss, an Industrial Engineering senior at Purdue, is a dedicated leader and passionate advocate for both the university and the engineering community. As the Vice President of the Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC), she plays a pivotal role in overseeing seven different committees, offering leadership guidance, and supporting event planning efforts across the council.
“My main role is overseeing all the committee heads, helping them plan and execute events, and offering advice on leadership and best practices,” Addison shares. PESC is responsible for hosting major campus events like the Industrial Roundtable, the largest career fair for Purdue Engineering students, and outreach activities that promote STEM to local elementary and middle schools. “We also work on initiatives to support student well-being, like establishing the Cares Hub, a resource space for all engineering students focused on well-being,” she adds.
In addition to her work with PESC, Addison is a tutor for the Women in Engineering Program, where she assists first-year engineering students with foundational engineering courses like calculus, coding, and physics. Beyond academics, she provides advice on time management and shares insights on how to succeed in college. “It’s important to help these students with more than just the subject matter—I try to give them tools to be successful overall,” she says.
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Addison also serves as an ambassador for the College of Engineering, representing the School of Industrial Engineering and engaging with alumni and prospective students. Recently, she joined the Mortar Board Honor Society, and contributes to the Finance Committee, helping plan events and service opportunities for the local community.
Her journey to Industrial Engineering was sparked by a realization during her early engineering coursework. “A lot of students will take classes like thermodynamics or circuits and realize it’s not the area they’re interested in,” Addison reflects. “For me, I still enjoyed my thermodynamics class, but I realized the job opportunities I wanted were more aligned with Industrial Engineering.”
The shift in focus came naturally as she gravitated towards process optimization and systems improvement, finding her passion in making things more efficient. She also notes that IE is one of the most coding-intensive majors within the College of Engineering, which has provided her with valuable technical skills.
Addison’s hands-on experience began with an internship at Jasper Engines & Transmissions, where she appreciated the opportunity to work for a smaller company. “It was great to be at a company that wasn’t a large corporation because it allowed for a lot of mentorship from my manager and other coaches. We even presented to the Vice President biweekly, which was an incredible experience,” she says. This exposure to senior leadership combined with the supportive environment laid the foundation for her future internships, helping her build crucial skills early in her career.
When asked why she chose Industrial Engineering, Addison explains, “I didn’t always know that IE was the right path for me. I actually started out in Mechanical Engineering. After an internship in manufacturing where I worked on process improvement and lean manufacturing, I realized that I was more passionate about optimizing systems and processes. It became clear that industrial engineering, with its focus on making things better, was the right fit for me.” After spending some time in her sophomore year taking IE courses, she made the switch and never looked back.
Addison's favorite aspect of Industrial Engineering is the direct application of her coursework to real-world scenarios. “In classes like IE 383, 386, and 484, we work on case studies that mirror the challenges faced in industry. It’s incredibly satisfying to solve problems in class that I know will translate into my career.” She also credits IE 332 with building her critical data analysis skills, particularly in SQL, which she has applied in her internships. “It was the hardest class I’ve ever taken, but the lessons learned have been invaluable in the workplace.”
Outside of her academic life, Addison enjoys staying active and challenging herself physically. “Every fall, I run a half marathon with a group of friends,” Addison shares. She fondly recalls walking an entire marathon while doing laps around the Epcot Center during her Industrial Engineering Internship at Disney. 
As a dedicated Boilermaker, Addison has a deep love for Purdue athletics and was lucky enough to watch the men’s basketball team in the Final Four game in Phoenix, Arizona. “I’m a huge basketball fan and a proud member of the Paint Crew. I’ll wait hours before games, doing homework in the stands, just to support the team.”
As Addison enters her final year at Purdue, she is excited about continuing to apply what she’s learned in the classroom to her professional endeavors, while also mentoring and inspiring younger students to find their own path in engineering.