Sarah Carpenter’s favorite toys growing up were Legos. She liked the challenge of designing and building structures, and she daydreamed about using her math and science skills in the real world to help others.
At Ohio Northern University, Sarah turned her childhood imaginings into a viable career path by majoring in civil engineering, with a concentration in environmental engineering and a minor in applied mathematics.
Her passion is wastewater engineering with a focus on turning wastewater into an energy source, or sanitizing it to supply clean water to people who don’t have easy access.
Starting her first year on campus, Sarah learned by doing in labs, the classroom, and the real world.
“There were so many resources at my disposal for hands-on learning,” she said. “And I just loved the small school environment and close relationships I built with both with fellow students and faculty members.”
The College of Engineering helped her land internships with the city of Dublin and with HNTB, an engineering contract firm. At HNTB she worked on the future-focused National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program.
“I got to travel around the state to different public engagement meetings, seeing firsthand what the public thinks about the plans for EV charging in Ohio. Overall, I learned a lot about sustainability efforts throughout the country.”
Sarah also joined more than a half dozen campus organizations, including Student Senate, Delta Zeta, Society of Women Engineers, and Good News Bears. Her favorites were Student Senate because she engaged with fellow students to improve campus life, and Delta Zeta for its focus on community service.
“I’ve always had a passion for serving and helping people, especially those who are underserved or underprivileged,” she said.
Thanks to her ONU education, Sarah can now devote her career to serving others.
“At ONU, professors care about teaching and they care about your academic success. They are in your corner,” she said. “I’ll always look back and be proud to be a Polar Bear.”