Extracurricular Activities
Concrete Canoe team captain; ASCE-AGC club member; Traffic Bowl competitor; ITE club member; Operation Christmas Child volunteer, makes gifts for the boxes and helps to pack them; Work with local Klamath Falls animal shelter (Friends of Pets), making and donating blankets requested by the shelter; Fiber Arts, various creative endeavors and participates in a community knitting group
A Little Bit About Me
I grew up in the very rural area of Oakridge, OR. but moved to the suburbs of Springfield, OR. in my sophomore year of high school. In the future, I plan to move to a much more urban city area, like Portland. I love the idea of being able to live without a car and having all the necessities close by. Growing up, my family always had pets, and, because of this, I bond very strongly with animals. Currently I have two cats, Comet and Remi, who live with my brother and I in our apartment near campus. They mean everything to me, and they are wonderful for helping me manage my anxiety and stress, especially as an upperclassman. I definitely enjoy the relatively small size of Oregon Tech since I bump into people I know all the time, and because of this, it isn't an overwhelming school.
Why I Chose Oregon Tech and My Major
As a kid, I never had a "dream job"; nothing stuck out to me as interesting enough to do forever. At age 12, I attended a transportation-based summer camp at Oregon Tech, and I discovered a passion for design in transportation. Immediately after that camp, I knew I would be a Civil Engineer. I chose Oregon Tech because it was where my journey began, and I appreciate the value held to learning at Oregon Tech.
My Influential Professors
As a junior in the Civil Engineering program, I have had the opportunity to learn a significant amount of information in a very short time frame. The professor who I think has taught best in this scenario is Dr. St. Clair, our structures professor. His fast-paced lessons and interactive teaching style means I never have time to zone out or stop paying attention. I look forward to taking more structures electives with him in the coming year since I always enjoy his classes.
My Greatest Learning Experience At Oregon Tech
My greatest learning experience so far has been the focus on hands-on-learning that Oregon Tech provides. Despite being a sophomore, the skills I gained through Oregon Tech’s curriculum allowed me to get an internship with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) over the summer of 2024. This early career stepping stone was made possible only through my efforts at Oregon Tech, and has already proved useful in setting up another internship with ODOT for this coming summer.
My Plans After Graduation
After my bachelor's degree, I will be staying a 5th year to finally graduate with a master's degree. I will focus on a career in transportation engineering, specifically relating to research in that field. I would love to study various methods of transportation, benefits and costs of each, and viable ways that could be used to improve the current system. Alternatively, I will go into design where I can create plans for retrofitting our current roadways with more active-transit friendly infrastructure.