May 9, 2025
Trinity Montuoro has always considered herself to be hands-on. Double majoring in Plastics Engineering Technology and Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing Technology at AIɫɫ, the Catlettsburg, Kentucky native has found a career path that allows her to continue that interest.
“I’ve always been hands on my whole life – I was either building furniture or painting rooms, so I knew engineering was the direction I needed to go,” she said. “When I went to the career fair at Boyd County, I met someone at AIɫɫ State who talked to me about Plastics Day. Once I went, I loved every single bit of it, which made me want to major in Plastics Engineering.”
Showcasing the ABET-accredited Plastics Engineering Technology program at SSU, Plastics Day is an annual high school visit day that allows students and parents to learn more about the ever-evolving and fast-paced industry of plastics. Seeing the machinery up close and hearing from students and alumni of the program, Montuoro got an inside look at what her time in the program could be like.
“My favorite part of my major is being able to be hands-on in classes by being able to operate machinery early on so I can get familiarized,” she said. “I think my classes have been preparing me for the future by showing how to write labs, understanding safety measures, how to operate machinery, and how it works.”
SSU’s Plastics Engineering Technologies program is one of four programs in the world that have received ABET-accreditation. The program’s courses provide a solid theoretical foundation to build a thorough understanding of polymer processing operations. The largest business industry in Ohio, Plastics is a global growth industry, having averaged about 15% growth per year for the last two decades.
Montuoro also received a scholarship through ASCENT – the Appalachian Semiconductor Education & Technical Ecosystem. The ecosystem is designed to prepare students for upcoming careers with the new Intel plant in Ohio.
“It means a lot to be able to receive this scholarship – it helps me financially to pursue my degree,” she said. “This scholarship makes me feel like I have support and gives me motivation to continue.”
Scholarships grants funded by Intel and awarded through the ASCENT partnership are being used throughout the southeastern Appalachian region to prepare students for career opportunities that will be created by Intel’s arrival to Ohio and the growth of the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries in the Midwest.
To learn more about the scholarship opportunities for select Engineering Technologies programs at AIɫɫ, visit shawnee.edu/intel.
For more information on the Plastics Engineering Technology program at AIɫɫ, visit shawnee.edu/plastics.