Sarah Ott, Civil Engineering Major

Valparaiso University senior Sarah Ott is the fourth engineering student in five years to be named to the All-USA College Academic Team, which recognizes the nation's most outstanding undergraduate students.

Ott, a civil engineering major from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was named to the Honorable Mention Team along with 18 other students. A panel of judges selected the students from approximately 500 students nominated by colleges and universities across the United States.

USA Today recognized Ott for her academic achievements and cited her involvement in two projects assisting a Nicaraguan immigrant community in Costa Rica through infrastructure improvements.

In May 2008, Ott participated in an international service project through the Valpo engineering team CREATE: Costa Rica Endeavor – Aid Through Engineering. Ott and other members of the team worked with residents of Proyecto Cristal on the outskirts of San Jose and built a concrete road to improve the quality of life for a 12-year-old girl with spina bifida and her family.

Ott has continued her involvement in the project this year, traveling to the community in December to talk with community members about infrastructure improvements that will improve their quality of life.

"The current location of the neighborhood has serious problems, such as sewage running down the streets," Ott said. "Other engineering students and I on a senior design team are helping the community move from its current location by designing the infrastructure for a new parcel of land where they can move the community and lead safer, healthier lives."

Ott plans to pursue graduate studies in transportation civil engineering at North Carolina State University and said CREATE has given her an opportunity to apply her engineering coursework to a project that will make an impact on the lives of hundreds of people.

"Being able to help out people with my engineering skills is very rewarding," Ott said. "Traveling to Costa Rica and working with members of the community also has been a great cultural learning experience for me."

Read the full press release here.

Learn more about Valparaiso University’s College of Engineering.