Connecting with Kiewit
Ostler was heavily involved in CMU’s 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 Ƶ campus, where she attended in-person events and joined CU Ƶ 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’s 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.
“I like transportation because it’s so impactful to communities,” she said. “The 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.”
Ostler’s goal is to eventually move into a professional leadership role. She’s also involved with the Women’s Transportation Seminar and Women in Kiewit, through which she hopes to get more women involved in STEM careers —another one of her passions.
“When I started college, I didn’t know much about civil engineering, and now I can’t imagine my life without it.”