This article originally appeared in Good Day, Berks — Spotlight PA’s free daily newsletter for Berks County and your daily dose of Berks County essentials. Sign up here.
This week’s Community Spotlight honoree is Faith Bentz, 22, a product development engineer at Brentwood Industries, Inc., who founded a chapter of the Society of Women Engineers at Alvernia University.
This conversation took place by email and was lightly edited.
Good Day, Berks: Where do you live?
Faith Bentz: I live in Shillington.
Tell us a little about your family.
I am fortunate to have a loving and supportive family, including my parents and sister, who is a junior at Penn State Berks.
Tell us about your work and what you like about it.
I work at Brentwood Industries, Inc. as a product development engineer. I interned at Brentwood during my senior year at Alvernia University, and the internship transitioned into a full-time position. I am only in the beginning of my career, but have had a great experience so far. I love helping the team in the design and development of products and learning from their expertise. I also enjoy going back to Alvernia to speak with students about opportunities in the manufacturing and engineering fields.
Tell us about a challenge you faced.
I was part of the first graduating class of engineers at Alvernia. This class of 12 had just two females. Being part of a brand-new program was a risk, but it has paid off for my classmates and me. Being in a male-dominated field also comes with challenges, but having support from those in my professional and personal life makes all the difference.
Favorite place to eat in Berks County.
There are so many! But if I had to pick one, it would be getting ice cream at Scoupe deVille in Birdsboro on a summer night. So many flavors to choose from, and it’s a fun atmosphere.
Where would you take a visitor to in Berks?
I would take them on a walk or hike on one of the many trails in Berks because of how beautiful they are. Places like French Creek State Park, Nolde Forest, the Pinnacle/Pulpit Rock, Gring’s Mill, and Blue Marsh (just to name a few) offer such immersive experiences to be in nature.
What book, poem, song, or artwork is meaningful to you?
I started reading the Bible in college with a campus ministry, and it has answered so many of my questions.
Who has had the greatest influence in your life?
My parents have had a great influence on my life. It’s easy to look up to them in how they give their time back to the community. In addition to their careers, my dad is a volunteer firefighter, and my mom serves on Shillington’s borough council. Their dedication to building the community influences me to want to give back.
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