Anna Werner: Outstanding senior in construction engineering

Clubs and activities

I joined the Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Club because of a peer mentor I had during my first semester at Iowa State, and I have loved it ever since. I’ve also been a member of Society of Women Engineers and have served as a chair on the outreach committee. I joined the Associated General Contractors club as soon as I changed my major to construction engineering and went on the fall break to Okoboji, Iowa to help rebuild basements for three families that were affected by flooding.

Valuable hands-on learning in class

The best part about being a construction engineering student at Iowa State is the amount of group work that comes with it! I have worked in at least two different groups per class every semester.

My favorite hands-on activity would have to be the masonry tour in ConE 2410 (Construction Materials and Methods). We toured an actual masonry plant, learned how bricks and blocks are manufactured, and then tried our hand at doing the work of a mason. We were taught how to properly lay mortar and stack bricks in an attempt to make replicas of the Campanile.

Valuable out-of-the-classroom experience

I’ve been fortunate enough to work at different companies and have different experiences in each of my three internships. My first summer, I worked for Architectural Wall Systems, a glass and curtain wall subcontractor based out of Des Moines. The next summer I worked for Clayco on site in Glendale, Arizona, at a Nestle Coffee-mate coffee creamer factory. This past summer, I worked for Burns & McDonnell on site in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at a frozen food factory for CJ Schwan’s that will produce frozen dumplings and eggrolls. These internships brought me amazing teams and coworkers, new subcontractors to work with and manage, and new projects to learn about.

Most influential mentor

Jenny Baker, teaching professor in CCEE: I have been fortunate enough to have taken her class and to now work under her as a construction engineering peer mentor for first-year students. I have not met a lot of people who love their job and love engineering as much as Jenny does. Jenny knows how to listen, she knows how to give advice when you’re ready to hear it, she is considerate, she is thoughtful, and she truly cares about each and every one of her students. If I love my post-grad life even 25% as much as Jenny does, I will consider myself a very fortunate individual.

Best memory/greatest accomplishment

My greatest accomplishment is the fact that I spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Limerick in Limerick, Ireland. I am very proud of the fact that I took advantage of that opportunity and spent an entire semester across the Atlantic Ocean. The friends I made will forever be some of the greatest humans I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, and the adventures I took will forever be some of the most memorable.

Plans after graduation

I will work for Burns & McDonnell as a construction coordinator on site for a $400 million frozen food factory for CJ Schwan’s that will produce frozen dumplings and eggrolls.

A memorable moment of kindness

The people at Iowa State truly make the place. One night, I was up late studying and was stressed about upcoming exams and project due dates. My friends called me to ask what flavor of ice cream I wanted and to let me know they were dropping some off to me so I could be re-fueled to continue working. Not only was that the best tasting ice cream in the world, but I was also reminded that I was not alone. I consider myself fortunate because I have some of the best people in my corner at all times who also remember my love of ice cream!

Persevering through challenging times

I failed my second college exam ever (the first exam for Calc 1). Unsure how I would continue to take engineering courses if I couldn’t survive my first semester of calculus, I seriously contemplated leaving engineering. Luckily, my sister knew about my exam and about the results, and she called to check in many times over the week following my exam. We talked for hours, and she reminded me that she’d be in my corner no matter my decision, but she also told me that she still believed I could be an engineer.

From there, I made the decision that I would only allow myself to leave my engineering degree if I realized I didn’t enjoy it, but not because I deemed it “too hard” for myself. That shift of mindset changed the way I approached classes, homework assignments, and quizzes and exams, and I am very proud to say that I will graduate with an engineering degree and get to bring problem-solving to my working life after college.

Making my mark on the world

I want to be someone who helps people and improves quality of life. Whether that comes through managing the construction of a new elementary school, the renovation of a hospital in a rural town, or the construction of a new bridge or overpass on the interstate, I am excited for the day that I can drive through my town and point to a number of buildings that I had a hand in managing.

Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer

To me, being a Cyclone Engineer means taking advantage of any and all opportunities presented to you and approaching every new opportunity with eagerness and excitement. You never know where one door might lead.

What I’d tell my younger self about Iowa State

It feels cliché to say I gained everything from deciding to come to Iowa State, but that is truly how I feel. I have learned more about myself than I thought was possible. I have learned how to be a better friend, a better teammate, how to communicate effectively, how to be content and happy with myself. I have learned that I love to travel, and that Ireland is an amazing, gorgeous place to spend a semester. I have learned the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity that comes my way, and I have learned how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. Iowa State has brought me some of my best friends and greatest memories, and I am so glad that younger me decided this was the place to be.

Most inspiring location on campus

A place on campus I feel inspired as a Cyclone Engineer has to be the Student Innovation Center. The design of that building and the systems located inside are unique and robust, and the construction is so impressive. The open spaces on the main floor allow for space to think and move and collaborate and be creative, and the cafe on the fourth floor is excellent!