Throughout her career, Simpson Strong-Tie Branch Engineering Manager, Rachel Holland has transformed the support that helped her succeed into a passion for helping students and young professionals grow. Having experienced firsthand the impact that industry investment can have on a student, Rachel has embraced the opportunity to contribute to the cycle of growth that Simpson Strong-Tie strives to foster.
As an architectural engineering graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Rachel witnessed Simpson Strong-Tie’s commitment to student success long before she joined the company. While working on her senior project, she received support from Simpson Strong-Tie engineers who volunteered their time, expertise and resources. That experience left a lasting impression, showing her the value of industry professionals investing in future generations. These relationships were part of what brought her to Simpson Strong-Tie.
Today, Rachel is dedicated to creating those same opportunities for others. Through her involvement with scholarship field trips, classroom presentations, student outreach initiatives, and the Cal Poly Architectural Engineering Advisory Board, she helps students connect classroom learning with real-world industry experience. By working alongside faculty and other industry insiders, Rachel helps ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce with the knowledge, skills and connections needed to succeed.
Rachel’s commitment to giving back extends beyond the university level. While acting as a mentor through Dublin High School’s Engineering and Design Academy, she was paired with a young woman whose goal was to attend Cal Poly and pursue a career in architectural engineering. Rachel had the opportunity to watch that goal become a reality as the student enrolled in Cal Poly’s architectural engineering program, graduated, and entered the industry as a specifying engineer. Now, the two work together professionally, allowing Rachel to see the lasting impact of investing in a student’s growth from the classroom to the launch of a successful career
For Rachel, it was a true full-circle moment.
Reflecting on her own experience, Rachel explains: “The support I received from industry professionals as a student and early in my career played a defining role in where I am today. Their willingness to invest time and share their insight made a lasting impact on who I am and what I care about. That experience continues to inspire me — I’m passionate about creating those same opportunities for students and young professionals and paying forward the influence that meant so much to me.”
Barclay Simpson’s Nine Principles of Doing Business
