We sat down with third-year mechanical engineering student Sara Leschova to share about her CU Engineering experience! Sara serves as the Director of Special Events & Advocacy for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at CU Boulder for the 2023-2024 school year.
What inspired you to pursue engineering or STEM in general?
Neither of my parents are engineers but both of them are very curious and love to learn new things. Growing up, my dad used to do science experiments with me and my brother and we would play with Legos and watch science documentaries all the time. That made me interested in understanding science and how it affects the world around me. When I got to high school and started enjoying my math and science classes, my mom was the first one who brought up that I should look into engineering. I guess that stuck with me and pretty soon after that I was focused on going to college for engineering!
When did you know you wanted to study mechanical engineering?
I actually applied to and started in our biomedical engineering program. During my third semester, though, I realized that biology wasn’t for me, and learning about engineering through the lens of the human body made me queasy so I decided to change my major.
I think the reason I didn’t originally apply to mechanical engineering was that I only associated it with cars and the automotive industry. When I got to CU Boulder, I realized that mechanical engineering spans so many industries and is involved in the design of almost any technological component which is what convinced me to pursue it.
What challenges do you hope mechanical engineering can solve in the future?
I hope that mechanical engineers can contribute to finding solutions to climate change. The energy, manufacturing and transportation sectors have been major contributors to global warming and I hope mechanical engineers can make advancements to our current technology and create new, clean and affordable solutions that will help mitigate its impacts.
What are some of your memorable experiences at CU Engineering?
There are so many – but a majority of them come back to the community and friends I have here. My friends and I joke that when we get our degrees we should get them as a group because we wouldn’t have made it through college without each other’s help and support. No matter whether we are working on homework late into the night, studying for exams together or applying to internships, I know that my friends are there for me and are always willing to help me when I need it. I hope that’s what I’ll remember when I think back to college when I am a few years into my career.
What are your favorite aspects of being involved with SWE? 
Being part of our chapter of the Society of Women Engineers has been rewarding in so many ways, both on and off the leadership board. The events are fun and welcoming and give me a break from studying when I need one. I have learned so much from being in a leadership role from maintaining professional communication to thinking on my feet when events don’t go to plan, all of which I use outside of SWE almost every day.
My favorite part of SWE is the community. I have had the opportunity to interact with CU members, as well as members from the professional section of SWE and everyone I have met has been nothing short of friendly and kind. I have been to two SWE conferences which helped introduce me to SWE at the larger international organization and exposed me to so many professional and learning opportunities.
Why should someone consider joining SWE?
It’s a fun way to meet new people, get industry contacts and give back to the community! You will learn a lot along the way. My only regret is not getting involved sooner.
Top Photo: Sara hiking Grizzly Peak and Cupid Peak with the CU Hiking Club. Bottom Photo: Celebrating birthdays with SWE friends on Pearl Street.