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Genna Gaitan started at �Ӱ�ԭ�� Institute of Technology as a social, economic, and development policy major, with the intention of eventually specializing in environmental law. She was recruited by the university’s soccer team and was attracted to the low student-to-professor ratio and the opportunity to live in Chicago. 

“I knew �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech’s academic structure was one that I’d thrive in,” she says. “I realized after finishing my first year that as much as I enjoyed what I was doing, there was something that fit me much better, which led to my decision to switch to the civil engineering program.”

Genna has since thrown herself full force into engineering. She is an active member of �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech's chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a member of Chi Epsilon, an honors society of civil engineering students and professionals. She is a former captain of the university's  team, and she is former vice president of the Society for Environmental Engineers and Scientists (SEES). She is doing a minor in sustainability and specializing in environmental engineering.

“These leadership positions have allowed me to attend conferences, connect with professionals, and nail interviews that have set me up for success,” she says.

This has included two internships: one as an environmental engineering intern at Hubbell, Roth, & Clark and one as a production intern with the energy-natural gas team at Kimley-Horn in downtown Chicago. Genna says these experiences offered time in the field, project management experience, and a huge step in her technical expertise. 

“Both of these internships would not have been possible without the preparation and opportunities �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech has provided,” she says. “The civil [engineering] program at �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech has been expertly mapped so that every student enrolled comes across the various subfields of civil engineering: structural, construction management, transportation, geotechnical, sustainable buildings, environmental, and many more.…[The Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering] is an exceptional department with a curriculum that I am incredibly interested in, and it has allowed my passion of working in the environmental realm to grow.”

Genna says the close-knit feel of the department facilitates students to develop invaluable relationships with faculty for guidance, mentorship, and professional connections. She has also found that she loves living in Chicago, with a particular fondness for the Bridgeport neighborhood where she says, “the community is like no other.”

“ �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech has brought upon a layer of gratitude that I never knew I could feel. The relationships I have made with, but not limited to, faculty, classmates, and my own education would not have been possible without the opportunities exclusive to �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech,” she says. “I think that attending �Ӱ�ԭ�� Tech has helped me realize my capability and that I acquire much more influence than I realize. It has refined my leadership skills and ability to balance my plate. I’m going to be a great engineer and an even better individual to work with.”

Genna has been fully integrated on the surface water team at Kimley-Horn since February 2025 and has accepted a full-time position at the firm upon graduation.