Katherine Howe is graduating this year from Silverton High School. This fall she will attend the University of Kansas as a mechanical engineering student.

After four intense years of career-oriented courses at Silverton High School, Katherine Howe plans to attend the University of Kansas this fall to study mechanical engineering.

“I knew early on I was going to be an engineer,” Howe said. “Both my parents are engineers, and that path interested me.”

Her biggest struggle was choosing which field of engineering to pursue. She spent a lot of time learning about her parents’ jobs and exploring her own interests.

“I found cars to be my favorite, which led me to mechanical engineering,” Howe said. “My school counselors worked hard to get me into the classes that would best prepare me, including acquiring the math skills I will need to succeed.”

By fall of her senior year, Howe had a solid plan and began working on cars to familiarize herself with their designs.

Howe did a comprehensive search before choosing a school that went beyond the financial aspects.

“I also had to consider what I wanted from the place where I’d be living,” she said. “I ultimately decided that Kansas University was the right place, really friendly and accepting, no deal-breaking legislation, great scholarship packages and affordable housing.”

Getting to this point has not been easy.

“I sacrificed a lot in the first few years of high school to ensure that my senior year could be spent preparing for college,” Howe said. “I made the decision to forgo a social life in exchange for fulfilling my ambition and I will likely do the same in college.”

However, she’s bound to form some friendships, especially within her chosen field, she said.

Howe is joining KU’s University Design Team, an extracurricular club that designs and builds a race car in one school year.

“It is a big challenge for everyone involved,” she said. “It gives a lot of practice with high stress situations and real-world applications of skills.”