Fianna came to Vermont Tech right after high school to pursue her interest in Civil Engineering. She wanted to stay local and was looking for a small campus feel to have a more personalized experience with professors. In 2010, Fianna graduated with her Associate in Civil & Environmental Engineering Technology.
Fianna enjoyed her time at Vermont Tech and shared, “I was not planning on playing any sports when I arrived, but I ended up joining the Varsity Women’s Soccer Team. It was really fun being involved in a group of students, especially being a minority as a female in my field of study, it was awesome to have a community.” Fianna liked how the curriculum was challenging and noted, “I really liked Professor Scott Sabol. He taught us how to calculate loads, and find members within a structure and was very clear and concise, which I appreciated.” (Learn more about Faculty at Vermont Tech). She further explained that she also liked the mathematical side of learning and now she uses her education to build bridges, stating, “Now I design bridges in my job, so it all came together.”
Working in the Structure Section at Vermont Agency for Transportation, Fianna works on all the projects related to bridges. She explained, “I do any portion of the project from designing the beams, bearings, and substructure, to putting that all in a set of plans making sure that the plan is going to match the design criteria, and also to be able to actually build the bridge in the field. Also, I look at the estimate for every project and quantities, and then when it’s in construction I am a resource for any questions and see each project to the end.”
Fianna stays involved with Vermont Tech, not only does her company come to the Career Fairs, they participate in the Bridge Building Competition’s held at the Randolph Center campus and noted, “It’s nice to take part in student camps, coming back to campus, and seeing my professors.”
Her advice to current and potential students is, “Really look at the field that you’re interested in and look at a couple of different options. Consider reaching out to Career Services and getting an informational interview with someone in your field of study. In College, really pay attention to the classes and give yourself lots of time to study.” She expressed this by relaying that the information you learn in class will be used in the real world and to be prepared!