Women’s History Month Q&A with Krista Roessle, ‘21

Krista Roessle (Class of 2021) is a senior at Central Catholic. Krista is captain of the rowing team, Vice President of Senior Student Council, Historian of the National Honor Society, an ACT math tutor, a piano accompanist for the Glee Club, and creator of the Owl (freelance section of the Centric school newspaper), along with being a member of varsity Quiz Bowl, IrishTHON, broomball, and boys’ tennis. Krista was recently accepted into Cornell University, where she plans to study chemical engineering.

What advice would you give to women in the field of engineering?
To the women who plan on going into a heavily male-dominated field and are nervous about it, I completely understand. It can be terrifying to be the only woman in a room full of men, especially when it comes to stereotypically “unfeminine” subjects like STEM. A piece of advice I would give to those who are in a similar position as I am is to remember that your experience as a woman positively changes the way you approach obstacles. My dad currently works as an engineer and he always mentions how women in his workplace provide an alternate perspective on problems that often are overlooked or not thought of by his male-counterparts. In times where I feel intimidated by the prospect of having to take charge of a situation that isn’t typically led by a woman, I take comfort in knowing that my experiences as a woman will allow me to better impact the world.

Tell us about a woman you look up to & why.
A woman I look up to is science teacher Ms. (Patrice) Brock. She cares so much about her students and always goes above and beyond in helping them. For example, it was three days before the Early Decision deadline for my top choice college, and I had to (basically) rewrite my entire Common App Essay. She hopped on a Zoom call with me for over two hours and helped me develop my ideas. This is on top of the numerous times I emailed her to read and edit my other essays, all while helping me make major career decisions. Ms. Brock is an incredibly kind and compassionate person and extremely accomplished in her field. I hope to be at least a fraction of the woman I’ve come to know these four years. 

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
The idea of Women’s History Month is relatively new to me as it wasn’t something that was emphasized growing up. I think it’s important for everyone, not just women, to understand and recognize female role models; they’ve changed our communities, countries, and world and their stories are incredibly inspiring. I would say that Women’s History Month to me now is a time to be motivated by these role models and to spark the interest in reading more about them, even after March is over.

What do you love about Central Catholic High School?
I love the diversity in our school. We have so many students that differ from each other, from race to ideas. I’ve been able to have conversations that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to have, and these conversations (and classmates) have shaped me into the person I am today. We also have this unparalleled family spirit that is showcased in our sporting events and academic life. It’s attributed to my classmates, who are such kind-hearted individuals that truly care for each other. I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend Central Catholic and the person it has shaped me into today.