Stories

“I liked that the engineering field is so diverse,” Susan says. “I had been drawn to the idea of becoming a math teacher because I love numbers and problem solving, but I discovered that you can specialize and do so many different things with an engineering degree.”

When Susan enrolled at the University of Alabama, she decided to study Civil Engineering. During her junior year of college, Susan embarked on an internship with the Alabama Department of Transportation - a pivotal step that shaped her career trajectory. Even during her senior year at the University of Alabama, she continued working for the Alabama DOT on a part-time basis. Fate had more in store for her senior year when, while vacationing in Florida, she crossed paths with her future husband - a Groton, Connecticut native. Their connection remained strong as Susan completed her studies. Upon graduation, she made the decision to relocate to Groton, where she eagerly attended job interviews, ultimately establishing her roots in the submarine capital of the world.

Moving from a quiet southern community to a larger New England city came with its own set of challenges.

“When I moved to Connecticut, I didn’t really know anyone, so I started getting involved with the local community,” Susan says. “I was on the zoning commission for the Town of Groton for 16 years, and that experience translated over to my work by giving me a new perspective as now I’ve been on both sides of the table for these meetings. For me, not only do I do this work to make a living - I do it because I want to see our community grow.”

This January will mark seven years at Loureiro for Susan, and in that time she’s managed a host of high profile projects throughout the region, including the new Whaling City Mazda dealership in New London as well as projects at numerous subdivisions, residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The Loureiro team is tight-knit, and Susan works closely with a junior engineer on staff at the Groton office and with the Building and Land Engineering group in Loureiro’s Plainville office to make sure the overall team is meeting client needs and adhering to the schedules set for each project.  

For Susan, the most rewarding aspect of her work is shepherding a project from beginning to end, and she firmly believes that civil engineering is a great career path for problem solvers. 

“There are common civil engineering elements on every project, but at the same time, there are differences and unique challenges,” she says. “You have to be open minded and think outside the box. How can we make this work? How can we meet zoning requirements? How can we meet client needs? What’s going to be constructible?”

Beyond her involvement with local government, Susan dedicates time to giving back to the community in other ways. She’s been a part of the PTO throughout the course of her children’s education, and also spent a few years as a Sunday School Teacher at her church. She’s volunteered time to the Cubs Scouts and Boy Scouts, and has worked closely with Children First in Groton.

At Loureiro, Susan has been on the Health and Wellness Committee for over three years, and has been instrumental in organizing and leading Loureiro’s contributions to the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation (TBBCF) WALK for a Cure, raising funds and participating in the walk annually.

For Susan, everything she involves herself in is about showing up and putting your best foot forward.

“My motto is to show up every day and do my best,” says Susan. “There are some days where maybe that won’t be good enough, but I’ll always give it my all. My parents were hardworking individuals, and instilled that in me from a young age. Now, it’s important that I set a good example and pass that along to my kids. When you work hard, there are rewards.”