By Sam Killingsworth

Sam is a Process Engineer with DaVita and volunteers annually on the planning committee for GESTEM.

I decided to become an engineer by accident. Well I was guided to it and chose it thinking I’d probably change my mind. My high school chemistry/biology teacher gave me a pamphlet for ESSI (Engineering and the Sciences Summer Institute)–a program at Kansas State to introduce high school juniors and seniors to STEM programs and careers. He told me he thought I’d make a good engineer and not really knowing what that meant I decided that I should attend this camp and see for myself if he was right. He helped me fill out my preferences (the different tracks of engineering I was most interested in) since I didn’t know anything about any of them and I was assigned Industrial Engineering as my primary track.

I went to camp and learned so much about what my engineering options were and I really enjoyed my IE track. When it came time to apply for college I had been told to choose a major even if I wasn’t sure because I’d get more scholarship opportunities that way. I picked IE because it was the only thing I even had a slightly specific desire to pursue but I figured I’d just change my major when I really figured it out. That day never came. Our program at K-State was excellent and I never felt and urge to leave. I told people all the time that I lucked into my life and to this day I still think it’s true. I had toyed with so many career ideas but if it hadn’t been for that recommendation from one great teacher I might never have landed here.

FY24 SWE Recognition Awards
Awards

FY24 SWE Recognition Awards

SWE Rocky Mountain Section was honored at WE24 Chicago with SWE Mission Recognition Award. Mission recognitions are for SWE Groups that embody SWE core values and demonstrate continuous improvement and growth as they work to achieve the Society’s strategic goals. 2024 SWE Mission Recognition, Silver The FY2024 awards process was updated to be the SWE…

2024 Scholarship Awards
College

2024 Scholarship Awards

Scholarship Chairs:​Sarah Green (Entering Freshmen) and Jennifer Buechler (College) The Society of Women Engineers Rocky Mountain Section awards scholarships each year to students entering college and students in college in CO & WY. These scholarships are meant to help students continue to excel and reach their educational goals. We want to give a special thank you…

2024 RMS Summit Awards
Members | Awards

2024 RMS Summit Awards

The SWE RMS Summit Awards are presented to RMS members, teams, or collegiates who have made an outstanding contribution to activities within RMS during the fiscal year. Nominees are judged based on the significance of the achievements cited on behalf of the nominee and on the contributions of the nominee to various RMS activities. RMS Summit…

2024 Spring Summit Recap
College | Prof Dev

2024 Spring Summit Recap

2024 Spring Summit Recap RMS brings you ​this one day professional development conference and awards ceremony. The 2024 Spring Summit co-hosted by Rocky Mountain Section and University of Colorado Denver Section was a great success! The theme was Empowering Possibilities – reflecting on purpose, resilience, and joy, we strengthen our connection, empowering ourselves and each other. It was…

2024 Essay Contest Results
Outreach

2024 Essay Contest Results

Essay Contest Chair:   Bomsaerah Seong The results of the 37th annual Great Women in Engineering and Science Essay Contest are in! The competition was fierce again this year with 38 entries from 9 schools in Colorado and Wyoming. A panel of volunteer judges enjoyed reviewing all of the essays. Congratulations to every entrant! The Great Women…

Awards | General | Members | Prof Dev

RMS at WE23 Los Angeles

Over 50 RMS representatives traveled to Los Angeles to attend the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology from October 26-28. More members joined the conference virtually. Congratulations to the 2023 award recipients. RMS was recognized for the Mission Awards. You may read more about those on the WE23 Mission Awards blog post….