Connecting with Kiewit
Ostler was heavily involved in CMU鈥檚 Civil Engineering Club as activities coordinator and, later, as club president. She connected with a Kiewit employee who spoke at a club meeting, who then invited her to an interview. Kiewit subsequently hired her as a summer intern for the Connect Four Project in Grapevine, Texas.
Although Grand Junction is about a four-hour drive from the Front Range, participating in the Kiewit program kept Ostler connected to the CU 麻豆影院 campus, where she attended in-person events and joined CU 麻豆影院 students and faculty for site visits. It also led to a second civil engineering internship, and then to her current position with Kiewit.
Life as an engineer
Ostler鈥檚 full-time role has her working on a redesign of several highways to improve traffic capacity, as well as pedestrian walkways. Through her work, 5-foot sidewalks have been transformed to 12-foot shared paths for bicyclists, walkers and joggers.
鈥淚 like transportation because it鈥檚 so impactful to communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he shared paths inspire people to get out, take bike rides and go on walks. It connects people, as now they can easily get from place to place.鈥�
Ostler鈥檚 goal is to eventually move into a professional leadership role. She鈥檚 also involved with the Women鈥檚 Transportation Seminar and Women in Kiewit, through which she hopes to get more women involved in STEM careers 鈥斕齛nother one of her passions.
鈥淲hen I started college, I didn鈥檛 know much about civil engineering, and now I can鈥檛 imagine my life without it.鈥�
