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Teegan Oatley is an aerospace engineering sciences senior and a 2025 recipient of the Perseverance Award from the College of Engineering and Applied Science.��

Below, as a soon-to-be graduate, she reflects on her student experience and future as an engineering professional.

What are your post-graduation plans?

After graduation, I am working as an Engineer I at a satellite solar array start-up called Source Energy Company.

What is your favorite memory from your time at CU Boulder?

My favorite memories from my time at CU were game days at Folsom and spending time with my sorority sisters.

What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?

I am most proud of my role in the growth of a sorority for women and gender minorities in STEM, which supported about 20 members when I first stepped into leadership and now supports more than 70 active members.

When did you feel like you hit your stride or like you were “officially” an engineer.

With each internship that I had, I grew more and more confident in my skills. During my 3rd internship, I was working in manufacturing engineering and set up a process for conformal coating circuit boards for various satellite components.��

I was able to confidently identify issues in the cleanroom setup that impacted the machinery used for the conformal coating process and presented suggested solutions to the Director of Engineering at the company, who immediately addressed them.��

The success of that project felt like a breakthrough in realizing that I am fully capable of being an engineer.

What is your biggest piece of advice for incoming engineering students?

My biggest piece of advice for incoming engineering students is to learn what helps you reset or de-stress. For me, I ground myself and reset my stress levels by spending some time in nature, but it could be anything that works for you.��

Engineering and college in general can be really stressful so having a mechanism to help relieve stress is crucial.

What experiences or qualities do you think led to you receiving this award

I was raised in a family of very hard-working and self-driven people. When I decided that I wanted to be an aerospace engineer in 7th grade, nothing was going to change my mind.��

By the time I came to CU, I was closer to my goal than ever before and so as I got closer to graduation, each setback didn't feel as significant because I learned more with each one and I was still getting closer to reaching my goal.��

I also have a passion for supporting others through their experiences in STEM so my involvement in the Learning Assistant program, Phi Sigma Rho, and the GoldShirt scholarship program provided avenues for me to both practice my skills and support other engineering students.��