From ChemE Student to Green Beauty Queen
It came as no surprise to Valerie Mason-Robinson’s (ChE ’97) mother that she was interested in pursuing a career in engineering. As a child, Mason-Robinson was fascinated by chemistry, science, math and the environment. She was an avid recycle-er even before the “green” movement began.
But, what did shock her mother was Valerie’s desire to study chemical engineering. “She was worried about my health. Not knowing much about chemical engineering, she was concerned about my exposure to chemicals and what effect they would have on my body,” recalls Valerie. “Once I calmed her fears, she was completely supportive.”
Though Valerie was unaware of the prestige of IIT when she enrolled as freshman, she quickly learned that pursuing a degree in chemical engineering would be a great challenge. She comments, “To this day, I don’t know how I made it through the program. It truly taught me perseverance, and helped me gain a toughness that has helped me succeed in business.”
Valerie recalls there were just a handful of female students while she was enrolled at IIT, many of whom she still affectionately refers to as life-long friends. The women created strong bonds to help get through the vigorous program which was dominated by male students. She also credits her success to her involvement in extra-curricular activities. As a student, Valerie was actively involved in the IIT student chapters of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers. She adds, “I wasn’t the ‘best student,’ but the skills I learned and the network I built through my participation in student groups really benefitted me as I started my career. I interviewed well because of my personality, which I was able to back-up with my academic background.”
In addition to her activities in student professional groups, Valerie was active within the IIT Women’s Center, an on-campus group dedicated to helping the IIT community navigate through the social challenges faced by women in today's society. At Valerie's graduation, the then-director of the center gave her the book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss. It's inspirational words, "And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.) Kid, you'll move mountains!", continue to inspire her today.
Her first job after IIT was in quality control with Cargill. Her supervisors quickly realized her interpersonal skills and technical knowledge would make her an ideal addition to their sales team. She jumped at the opportunity for the new challenge. Valerie soon discovered her chemical engineering degree from IIT instantly gave her credibility with her new clients, which helped her gain success in sales. “There’s a lot you can do with a background in chemical engineering. You can go into sales, business, consulting, intellectual property and a variety of other industries. You’re not pigeonholed into working just in a laboratory.”
While working with cosmetic companies as a sales representative, Valerie’s interest in the industry peaked. She soon combined her knowledge of chemical surfactants, her passion for the environment, and her familiarity with cosmetics to found Eden Organix, an eco-conscious beauty company. Through its spa, located in Highland Park, New Jersey, and its Internet store, Eden Organix provides women and men with organic, natural and eco-essential products and services. Even furthering its mission to give back to the community, the company donates ten percent of its profits to charitable organizations focused on the environment, women and children.
Valerie now speaks around the country about the emerging green cosmetic industry and is frequently quoted in local and national publications. She credits much of her success to the lessons she learned while studying at IIT. “I learned to be strong, and not give up when facing adversity. I learned to look at new ideas and ways of solving problems. My degree in chemical engineering and my time at IIT has served me well throughout my career.”
From a determined ChE student to a successful business owner on the forefront of the next trend in cosmetics, Valerie Mason-Robinson is a stellar example of what a little perseverance, a lot of dedication and a background in chemical engineering can do.
