Shannon Lemke

Shannon Lemke earned a BS in Geological Engineering from Michigan Tech in 2000, Magna Cum Laude. 

“I came into the department sure that I wanted to become a geoenvironmental engineer. The degree program is so well-rounded that we were introduced to many different career options within the GMES department. It wasn’t long before I’d changed my major to Geological Engineering and became interested in geophysics and oil and gas exploration. My interest in oil and gas led me to my work in Houston and my interest in geophysics led me to my husband (we met in electromagnetic geophysics class).”

Lemke now works for a small, private oil exploration company in Texas called Vitruvian Exploration II, LLC as a staff geologist. “My job is to explore for oil resource plays in the continental United States.”

While at Michigan Tech, Lemke had a scholarship that covered tuition for four years, so she was very focused on finishing her degree on time. Consequently, she took a fairly heavy course load. At the same time she was a two-sport varsity athlete. “The real challenge was managing my time so that I could devote enough time to my studies to do well, while also having enough time for practice and social time. I really learned to focus on what needed to get done and that has been helpful in my career.

“The GMES department has great professors and small class sizes which for me meant much more individual attention in every class. We also had many opportunities to work for professors and do undergraduate research. I worked for two of my professors and I know their recommendations helped me land my first job. Plus, I think it’s the most fun you can have while becoming an engineer!

“I loved everything about my time at Tech. I knew I was getting a top-notch education. I got to live in a beautiful part of the state with outdoor activities year-round. And most of the students are also far from home and that seemed to make a closer-knit student community than you might have had otherwise,” she says.

In 2011, in recognition of her significant achievements, Shannon was inducted into the Presidential Council of Alumnae.