Kacey Henik - University of Missouri – Kansas City

I am majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and expect to graduate in spring 2017. Since my degree combines both electrical and computer engineering, I did not have too much of an opportunity to choose my elective courses, but the courses I have chosen have been based around the power field. I am also interested in robotics, which I get exposure to in Senior Design.

In high school, I participated in the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program. This program introduced me to different types of engineering, such as civil, mechanical, and electrical. My favorite part of the program was the Digital Electronics course, which drove me to choose computer engineering. However, I wanted to go to UMKC, and they offered computer engineering as a combined degree with electrical engineering. I am very thankful for this, as I fell in love with both electrical and computer engineering. I find the power grid to be very fascinating, and we live in an exciting with the more recent incorporation of renewable energy sources, which made me want to go into the power engineering field.

Recently, the opportunities for power generation and distribution have skyrocketed with the introduction of renewable sources. I am excited to be a part of the industry that is exploring these technologies and making new advancements.

How has been selected as a PES Scholar impacted you?

I was struggling to pay off my school for this year, and this scholarship covered the rest of my school and made it to where I could focus on my classes and grades easier. This resulted in me getting some of the best grades I have had in college.

As a recipient of this scholarship, I was invited to a luncheon at my company for all of the PES Scholars that worked at the Kansas City location of my company. This allowed me to meet coworkers that had also received this recognition, and be able to learn about their experiences and utilize them as mentors.

Receiving recognition as a PES Scholar gave me confidence in my choices and experiences up to this point. Seeing all of the things going on in the power field currently makes me very excited to be a part of this field.