As she prepares to trade the palm tree-lined sidewalks of the University of Miami for the ivy-covered halls of Princeton University, Sarah Paschke, a graduating senior in civil engineering, reflects on a college journey defined by a passion for building things.
Originally from Denver, Paschke arrived at the U wanting the full college experience. She found exactly that. As a Foote Fellow, she took advantage of the program's flexibility, embracing an interdisciplinary path and minoring in architecture. Her childhood fascination with buildings, sparked after putting together a multi-colored LEGO Eiffel Tower, turned into a desire to design real-world structures that are not only resilient, but sustainable.
Her ambition led her to join the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) chapter at the University, where she helped revive a College of Engineering tradition halted by the COVID-19 pandemic: the Concrete Canoe Competition. As project manager, she helped lead a small but determined team through challenges, including material shortages and a lack of experience in the competition. But they ultimately raced their canoe at the 2024 regional competition.
"Our canoe was the heaviest at the competition, our team the smallest, but our pride the biggest," she said.
The team came back together this academic year to build another canoe, cutting its weight in half and placing second in the spirit competition.
Her efforts didn't go unnoticed. Last year, she was honored as the ASCE Florida Section Student of the Year. Moments later, the University's chapter won the Outstanding Student Chapter Award, beating out some of the state's largest universities.
"This award was the culmination of extreme effort, hundreds of hours of work, and dedication from our small department to do something big," she said.
Paschke also served as a student ambassador and tour guide with the President's 100, participated in intramural sports, joined honor societies, and interned at three engineering firms throughout her four years as an undergraduate student.
This fall, she'll begin a fully funded, two-year master's program in structural engineering at Princeton University, where she'll conduct research on sustainable cementitious materials. She hopes to become a licensed structural engineer, specializing in sustainable design and engineering management.
"To be a successful engineer, becoming well-rounded is key," she said.
Her advice to students just beginning their college journey: "Embrace the 'work hard, play hard' spirit of the U. Attend as many football games as possible, take a trip to Disney, enjoy campus events, go to the beach. This time is precious, and it is bittersweet to be coming to the end."
