Hometown
Metamora, Illinois
Clubs and activities
Tau Beta Pi, Civil Engineering Learning Community Peer Mentoring, and Teaching Assistant for CE 306
Valuable hands-on learning in class
My senior capstone class. This class emphasized working in teams where every individual contributes to the project using their different strengths. This collaborative approach is consistently utilized in the building design industry. Additionally, applying the knowledge and skills I gained from my undergraduate classes to help design a real-world project was very fulfilling.
Out-of-the-classroom engineering experience
My structural engineering internship with ISG solidified my interest in structural engineering and building design after being a contributing member in projects. This experience also guided my decision to go to graduate school at Iowa State.
Most influential mentor
Matt Rouse, teaching professor in civil engineering, was an influential mentor for me because in each of the three classes I had with him he emphasized attention to detail and taking pride in your work. He consistently explains the “why” behind what we do in civil engineering, shares personal experience, and provides real-world examples.
Greatest accomplishment
My greatest accomplishment and best memory in Iowa State civil engineering was turning in my design notebook in capstone. This assignment was a lot of work, and it felt good to finally submit it. The weeks leading up to the due date of the design notebook were challenging but fun at the same time because I enjoyed working with my group and alongside other groups for hours in the capstone lab.
Plans after graduation
I will continue my education at Iowa State to earn my master’s degree in civil engineering in the focus area of structural engineering. After graduate school, I plan to work as a structural engineer at a building design firm.
Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer
Being a Cyclone Engineer means that I will always have a network of other Iowa State engineers in the industry. In my internships, I have already noticed a sense of community with other Iowa State engineers.