March 31, 2025

Brenna Frommelt says choosing Mizzou was the best decision she’s ever made. Learn more about her experience on campus and what she’s planning to do after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering this May. 

Brenna Frommelt, a transfer student from Mt. Zion, Illinois, knew Mizzou Engineering was the perfect fit for her after touring campus. She got involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers and became an Engineering Ambassador. She used her spare time to mentor other students through the College’s peer mentoring program and became an undergraduate research assistant. 

And now, she’s weeks away from graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. 

“With my civil engineering degree, I will have opportunities to work on projects that can serve entire communities,” she said. “I love the idea that the work I am doing can improve people’s everyday life.” 

Frommelt says choosing Mizzou was the best decision she’s ever made. Learn more about her experience on campus and what she’s planning to do next. 

Up until my freshman year, I had no idea what to major in. 

I was inspired by my dad who works in the environmental field and knew that I always wanted to do some type of environmental work but wasn’t sure what. With my strong background in math and physics, I chose civil engineering due to the variety of opportunities within the field and the large-scale projects that I could contribute to.  

Initially, I was interested in the environmental and water aspects of civil engineering, but I also appreciated that the major offered diverse paths, such as construction management, structural, geotechnical engineering, and more without requiring a major change. This was appealing to me, since I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. 

I’m now involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), where I’ve networked with professionals and my peers, and competed in the Sustainable Solutions competition, which took me across the country to showcase our team’s work. 

Mizzou Engineering has played a crucial role in helping me achieve my goals by providing extensive resources and hands-on opportunities. 

Through the engineering career fairs, I secured three internships that gave me diverse real-world experiences. Additionally, I have had the privilege of learning from exceptional professors who are experts in their fields, and their guidance has greatly enhanced my education. 

I have gained invaluable hands-on experience through labs and my capstone project, which has taught me so much. It involves working on a real-world project, where we develop our own construction schedule, cost estimates, and logistics report for the North End Zone Renovations at Memorial Stadium. It’s exciting to get to work on a project right here on campus. 

One of my most memorable engineering experiences was traveling to Ireland for the Global Engineering Leadership Frameworks and Ethics course. 

Over nearly three weeks, I had the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture and explore engineering challenges on a global scale. The best part, however, was sharing this experience with fellow Mizzou students. Beyond the classroom, we bonded while exploring new places, making lifelong memories along the way.

Through this course, we examined real-world ethical dilemmas in engineering on a global scale and engaged in meaningful discussions that deepened our understanding. Outside of academics, we embarked on unforgettable excursions—seeing the Cliffs of Moher, kissing the Blarney Stone, taking a boat to Inishmore Island, and many more. Along the way, we experienced the rich food, culture and history of three vibrant cities while soaking in Ireland’s beautiful countryside. 

After graduation, I will be moving to Kansas City to work as a Civil Engineer at Black & Veatch. 

I will spend my time working on water projects. I am eager to start my career and contribute to sustainably providing clean water to people and the environment. Additionally, I plan to work towards earning my Professional Engineering license and continuing my involvement in the professional chapters of the organizations that I am involved in now. 

The community within Mizzou Engineering is unmatched, and the campus-wide experience has so much to offer.  

Whether it’s seeing familiar faces walking through Lafferre Hall or cheering on the Tigers at football games, Mizzou feels like home.

I’d recommend others get involved early and take advantage of all the opportunities that Mizzou has to offer. Say yes and put yourself out there, as you never know where it might lead. I once sat in an ASCE meeting and casually scanned a QR code saying I was interested in sustainability, having no idea that this would lead to working on a team all semester designing a sustainable city and getting to travel to Utah to showcase our work.  

At Mizzou, not only will you gain technical experience, but you will make lifelong friendships and make memories that you will remember forever. 

Earn a degree while gaining life-changing experiences. Choose Mizzou Civil Engineering!