About Me
Alma Mater: University of Wyoming, Bachelor of Science - BS, Civil Engineering
Hobbies: I enjoy knitting, it has been a hobby I have had since I was a kid! Since graduating college, I have gotten to spend more time creating knitwear and every fall I take a trip to Upstate New York with my mom and sisters to go to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival!
Career Q&A
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I chose to pursue a career as a Civil Engineer because…
Growing up I watched my mom work as a Civil Engineer and saw how much she enjoyed her work, and when I got to college, I noticed just how diverse Civil Engineering is and loved learning about all the different disciplines within the career. My career as a Civil Engineer is drastically different than my mom’s, but now we have great conversations about our careers and what we’re doing on projects!
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The thing I love most about my job is…
The range of projects I’ve gotten to work on, there really aren’t two projects that are the same! Every project I get to work on I get to learn something new and take what I’ve learned on past projects and apply my skills.
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My favorite thing about TranSystems is…
I appreciate how supportive everyone has been through my career. I started as an intern and from day one with TranSystems, I have always felt supported and encouraged in my career.
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Since joining TranSystems…
I have become more confident in my skills and understanding. When I need to ask for help and when I need to step up and take on a task, I know I can accomplish it well.
My Day
7:30 AM – Begin the Day
I start my day by looking through my inbox, moving emails to their specific folders. Then, I review my To-Do list. I also review my calendar and plan my day. I also like to make myself a nice large cup of coffee.
9:00 – 10:00 AM – KC Rail Team Call
Every Monday/Friday morning, the KC Rail Team has a check-in call to discuss workload. Tuesday through Thursday I have either internal or external project calls to discuss progress on those specific projects.
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Work on Current Projects
I am currently working on finalizing the plans for the Transload track that is expected to go to bid this fall. The site is an industry off the Union Pacific main line in Nevada, Iowa. The industry is a Biofuel and Technology company and plans to use the Transload track as an ethanol load out area.
12:00 – 12:30 PM – Lunch Break
I try to take at least 30 minutes for lunch, usually make myself a salad. Recently I’ve been enjoying a mixed greens salad with chicken, feta, cherry tomatoes and candied pecans with a sesame dressing!
12:30 – 1:00 PM – Call with UP Manager
I have a bi-weekly call with a Union Pacific Manager that I am working with on the design for a yard expansion. We discuss timelines, design issues and other topics pertaining to the project. I am also always reviewing Union Pacific project budgets that I am managing.
1:00 – 2:00 PM – Check in with Supervisor
I have a bi-weekly one-on-one with my supervisor, Jeremy Morken. We spend this time discussing progress on major projects, what is going well since the last meeting, and what issues need to be addressed and a solution for them. I have found these meetings to be very beneficial in keeping me engaged on the team while I am remote and motivating me to keep performing my best work. I leave these meetings with action items on how to better myself as a team member and engineer.
2:00 – 4:00 PM – Head to Class
I am currently in a master’s program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is a Masters in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a concentration in Rail Transportation. I have in-person classes Monday – Thursday in the late afternoon. Depending on the day, I will either get off around 1:30 or 2:30 for class, and I’ll be in class for about an hour to hour and a half.
4:00 – 5:00 PM – Finish Work Tasks & Sign Off
When I get home from class, I will put in one last hour of work to wrap up any tasks I didn’t finish before class. After that I like to get outside for a quick walk usually around campus, and then I’ll make some dinner and finish the night with catching up on readings for class, knitting, visiting with my grandparents, or watching reality tv!
