The Community Foundation for Crawford County is pleased to introduce Kaya Capretta, a 2023 recipient of one of the two Marvis Schaaf Scholarship awards.
Kaya, the daughter of Casey Capretta and Sarah Capretta, is a 2023 graduate of Galion High School. She is attending the University of Cincinnati this fall and studying Mechanical Engineering.
What inspired you to choose your intended major?
“While many factors influenced my decision to major in mechanical engineering, my biggest inspiration was participating in my school's robotics club throughout middle school and high school. As a team, my friends and I would create a VEX robot that met specific requirements for each game, then compete against other schools at various tournaments across the state. Though we never won, I still enjoyed participating in robotics competitions and had greater appreciation for the amount of effort, time, and skill one must put into projects like this. Another factor that influenced my decision to major in mechanical engineering was the opportunity to tour a facility home to a prosthetic engineering company, named Form5 Prosthetics Inc., in Gahanna, Ohio. Their goals at Form5, including making prosthetic devices more affordable and personalized, have inspired me to follow a similar career path. As a result of the aforementioned influences, as well as other factors, I decided to major in mechanical engineering.”
What are your career and life goals after you graduate?
“As a recent high school graduate preparing for life on my own, I have set several goals for my career and life in general. First and foremost, I plan to earn a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. During this time, I intend to participate in the co-op program offered by UC, which could potentially lead to future employment opportunities. I also hope to make friends in my first year of college that I could live with after moving off-campus. Eventually, I would like to earn my master's degree in mechanical engineering as well. Outside of my education and career, I would like to travel to different areas of the world, such as Italy and the west coast of the U.S. Though I likely will not achieve every goal I set, I plan to work hard and put in time and effort so that I can be successful later in life.”
Congratulations and good luck in the future, Kaya!
To learn more about the scholarships offered through the Foundation, visit www.cfcrawford.org/scholarships.
