I have worked for Evonik just a little over a year now. I was hired as a Cost Analyst in June of 2018. My daily agenda varies as I have my hands in many different areas of Evonik’s Animal Nutrition. However, my home office is in Kennesaw, GA and I make trips to Alabama and Nebraska often. While on the road, I stay busy budgeting and taking inventory, while incorporating one on one conversations with my colleagues at these plants.  One interesting project I’m working on is the Green Ocean project where Evonik is creating healthy amino acids for seafood.

As a semi-recently hired employee, I believe I have good insight on how Evonik looks to an outside applicant. What I admired most was the team atmosphere highlighted. This was very important for me coming in, and I was happy to be taken under the wing of so many intelligent colleagues upon arrival. Beyond team work, Evonik has shown dedication to its employees by allowing me two weeks off to visit my family in Kenya. This flexibility is rare and has allowed me to keep the perfect work-life balance.  

At the age of 20, I moved to the United States from Kenya, Africa, leaving behind many friends and family. I was given a scholarship to attend college and later graduated in 2016. This move has shaped me in many ways. I am a compassionate, ambitious, and persistent person. I have possessed these qualities throughout life and they are what got me to where I am today. Many pressures surrounded me when I moved to the United States, pressure from myself, “will I make it?”, and pressures from my family back home to create a name for myself. However, I never gave up and pushed through the challenges of living in a new country with a very different culture. My ability to do this has given me the energy to believe I can conquer anything. 

Years after first stepping onto U.S. soil, I have built a positive life for myself here in America and continue to look forward to the future while building my family. Some things I enjoy doing with friends and family include cycling and hiking. Luckily, there are many outdoor areas to go in the Kennesaw area.  

My advice to you is to not give up. Continue to work hard and grow through the challenges life presents.