Kelly Stefanski

Class year: CEE M.Eng. '17
Job title: Civil Associate
Company/organization: Michael Baker International

Stefanski's job responsibilities: Leads tasks and projects that focus on nature-based solutions using engineering and landscape architecture tools. Provides civil designs, plans and specifications, and graphics. Project types include shared use path design, landscape design for coastal restoration, flood mitigation and community resilience, stream and ecosystem restoration, stormwater and green infrastructure, permaculture curriculum development.

Most memorable CEE experience: “Going to Honduras with AguaClara was a life changing experience. There is truly nothing like seeing the engineering work you have modeled, put into action and to meet the people whose lives have been changed because of it.” She is grateful for the inspiration and faculty who helped shape her career path to focus on solutions that involve the communities they serve.  

Advice on entering the workforce:  “Ask questions. Be sure that you are on a quest to know who you are and what you want to do. Don’t assume that you should do this or that because others have done it. Be yourself. Discover who you are and how you can learn to become more fully who you wish to be in life. Have courage and speak up for what you believe in. These are especially challenging times. Take the opportunity to question the systems in place and the impacts they have made socially, environmentally, economically, and politically. Take the lessons learned and grow from them.”