Katie Gonzagowski
Engineering Student Katie Gonzagowski Thrives on Teamwork
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering | School of Computing and Engineering
Graduation Year: 2017
Where is UMKC taking you?
UMKC is setting me up for success in the future. UMKC is so intertwined with local engineering firms that it’s going to provide me with many options considering all the connections I’ve been able to make here.
Why did you choose UMKC?
I’m originally from Kansas City, so this was close to home for me. I was also in the architecture program to start, then moved over to engineering. I really like how close-knit the engineering program is here.
I was actually interested in UMKC because they also have a Conservatory. I played violin and thought I might want to take some classes there. I also love the city feel while being able to have a college experience.
Do you belong to any organizations?
I’m the vice president and future president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and I’m currently the president of the Society of Women Engineers. I love the fact that working with these groups gives me contact with professionals here in Kansas City and the opportunity to learn from them and network with them.
What motto do you live by?
“Teamwork makes the dream work.”
I’m a big believer in working together as a team. For example, I recently helped put on the regional conference for the Society of Women Engineers, and it really took a group of people working together to make it happen.
What excites you?
Innovation and design – the way things look and feel. My style is structured but laid back, put-together and well thought out. I like to have fun and push limits.
How has college inspired you?
My innovative classmates inspire me every day. Seeing how we all approach problems in different ways reminds me that there is more than one way to go about things. We need those little reminders sometimes.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received from a professor?
“You have to learn to say, ‘No.’ ”
Are you a first-generation college student?
Yes, but even as a first-generation college student, attending college after high school was always an expectation.
What’s your greatest fear?
Failure.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Designing buildings that impact the way humans interact both with each other and with the space itself.
What is one word that best describes you?
Vivacious. My outgoing and vibrant personality embodies the definition of this word.
