Katie Franks is an office support assistant for electrical and computer engineering. She has worked at S&T since April.

What do you most enjoy about working at Missouri S&T? 
The inclusivity. I love walking into work every morning feeling like I belong here and that I’m wanted here. Also, our campus is so beautiful. I love taking breaks and going for walks. Nobody had told me how friendly the squirrels were here. On my first day, I was walking from Emerson Hall to Centennial Hall, and I saw a mama squirrel carrying her baby. It was the cutest thing ever!

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new CEC staff member? 
Take as many training opportunities as you possibly can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

What advice would you have for a struggling student? 
Ask for help — always.

What is something people may be surprised to learn about you? 
I wake up every morning at 4 a.m. to go swimming. I also really love Legos and puzzles; my office is filled with them.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? 
I think super speed, telepathy, and invisibility are all pretty cool. Super speed because I could go anywhere I wanted whenever I wanted — hello trip to Europe! Telepathy because I could say things without having to say them out loud. Unlike most moms in the world, I haven’t mastered the art of facial communication — yet. And invisibility because, I mean, come on. Who wouldn’t want to be invisible?

MORE ABOUT KATIE

Position title: Office Support Assistant IV. That’s just a fancy way of saying I’m the ECE department’s secretary. I work with Dr. Kimball helping with a lot of different things, like the ECE Academy and promotion and tenure for our department’s amazing professors.

Length of service at S&T: I started at the end of April of this year, so only a few months. But it’s been a fun adventure, for sure.

Hometown: St. James, Missouri. Go Tigers!

Favorite food: Sushi all the way. Or anything seafood-related.

Favorite book: This question is always so hard to answer. I can never pick just one as a favorite. I love different series for different reasons. I love the historical accuracy of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and the magic and mystery of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter. I love the adventure of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series, and when I feel like I need to cry, Jodi Picoult is always there with a gut-punch ending to a fabulous story. Some of my favorites that I’ve read a million times are Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl (such a classic) and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars and Family of Liars, as well as Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series.

About Q&A with CEC
Staff members in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) have great stories and deserve to be highlighted. This feature is one way to recognize them.