Kamryn Rivera – Class of 2019
College: University of Oklahoma
Are of Study: Electrical Engineering
Expected Graduation Date: 2023
Who or what at UA had the greatest impact on where you are today? Why?
Mr. Burdette’s senior seminar class really helped introduce me to college and I feel like I came in knowing more than my fellow freshman. Our senior trip helped bring me to my dream school and his polite nagging about applying to scholarships helped me afford it.
How have you utilized the education you received (or the skills you learned) at UA?
Experience at UA taught me how to connect with other students and professionals. This has helped me make good connections at my school and my internship.
How is your experience at UA impacting you now?
Right now, I am helping underprivileged students get into OU and it has made me very thankful for the chance to spend two years of high school preparing for college. I have used the knowledge I gained from my teachers and guest speakers to guide these kids.
What if you chose to attend a school other than UA? Do you think you would be in the same place?
No. The University of Oklahoma was not even on my radar until our senior trip visit. Also, I chose my major after many discussions with Mr. Burdette. The experiences UA offered, such as free ACT testing and studying abroad, helped lead me to the success I am having now.
How has the UA Foundation impacted you and/or where you are today?
They paid for my study abroad experience in high school and are helping me pay for college expenses (through the College Incentive Program.)
What are your goals for the future and who/what has shaped them?
I hope to get an engineering job in Kansas City and become the middle school girls basketball coach (at UA) so I can help lead girls through that interesting time. That last goal is directly inspired by Mrs. Amerison (MS principal) and all the things she taught me during those years.
What are you doing to stay connected to UA and your fellow alums?
I stay in contact with several alum mainly through Snapchat where we check in on each other.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I just finished my internship at Honeywell this summer and I’ll be returning next summer (2021) after my sophomore year.
