Be Who You Wanna Be!

I am Jennifer Ann Kearney. I am a structural engineering student.  I am a half only child. I am an introvert. I am a Penn State woman engineer.  While I am very happy with who I am, one of the qualities I am most proud of is that I am a Bridge Builder.

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to build a bridge in Panama! And I’m not talking about a small wooden bridge over a creek.  This is a 250 foot suspended footbridge over a huge ravine and river.  I lead a team of 10 Penn State students to build this pedestrian bridge in a rural community in Panama. Why am I so proud of this bridge? Because I worked hard to make it possible, since I knew I wanted to be a Bridge Builder.

 

Completing this project was probably the most rewarding thing I have ever done, and it taught me more about leadership and managing a project than all of the classes I have taken and the books I have ever read combined.  This is why I want to encourage all of you to make your dreams a reality.  Work hard to be who you want to be. 

Penn State Bridges to Prosperity's project in Caimital, Panama

Bridges to Prosperity:

A little over a year and a half ago I heard about Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) at an American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Conference.  I am very passionate about service, so I was already involved with Penn State Engineers Without Borders.  However, I was leading the local projects aspect of the club; I was not involved in the international work that Penn State Engineers Without Borders was doing.  When I heard about B2P, I was immediately interested because I knew I wanted to continue serving communities both locally and internationally.  The Penn State ASCE President said he thought the organization sounded interesting as well, and he thought someone should start a chapter at Penn State.

Long story short, I obviously started Penn State B2P and lead our team through our first project.  However, that was definitely not my intention when I came to Penn State.  I never thought I would start a new club during college; however, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying it is easy to be who you want to be.  I had to work very hard to establish a chapter, recruit members and faculty advisers, plan a survey assessment trip, fundraise for the bridge cost, oversee bridge design and construction, plan a five week construction trip, and manage a team of students in rough living conditions working hard on a bridge site all day.  Not all of those tasks were enjoyable or glamorous.  There were times when I met opposition in my department, and I had to fight for the organization and convince others of the importance.  However, it was all worth it.  Seeing the community’s excitement about having a bridge so that they are not isolated during the rainy season was worth all of the late nights and hours of work. 

You Can Do It Too:

I am a Bridge Builder. What are you? Now, more importantly, what do you want to become?  I never thought I would be a Bridge Builder by the time I graduated college, but now I cannot imagine graduating college without this experience. You can be whatever you want to be.  You will have to work hard to get there, and there will be rough days.  However, you get out what you put in; nothing worthwhile can be achieved overnight. 

I want to encourage all of you to dream big, and then take action.  Nothing is impossible.  I don’t want everyone to rush to create a new organization at Penn State, but if that is what you want to do, then do it! You are all amazing women! You would not have been accepted into the College of Engineering at Penn State if you were not outstanding.  Now live up to your potential.  You would be amazed what you can become in four short years.  Take charge of your future, and be who you wanna be!

If you are interested in learning more about Penn State Bridges to Prosperity, please contact the Bridge Builder (aka Jen) at jak5580@psu.edu.

Jen Kearney is a senior in Civil Engineering, and she is the Overall Lead for WEPO ’14!