Kathryn Rohlfing
Job Title: Senior Associate Software Engineer at Capital One
Graduated with a BS in Computer Science in 2022
Kathryn, who graduated in 2022 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Spanish, has fond memories of her time at Iowa State.
Reflecting on her experience, Kathryn recalled her involvement in undergraduate research and having the opportunity to present at several conferences.
“It was a really neat experience and a great opportunity to learn what it’s like to work on a project long-term, well beyond what you can normally do for class,” she shared.
Besides working in undergraduate research, she participated in the peer mentor program and the Science Explorations club.
Outside of class, one of her favorite memories was visiting a coffee shop, which became a ritual when she needed a break, such as decompressing after a stressful exam or when she was nervous about an interview.
Kathryn’s decision to attend Iowa State was influenced by her family’s legacy at the university. She connected to the institution with relatives who were alumni and faculty members. However, she initially had reservations about staying close to home. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to branch out and go someplace new, but with the campus, a great computer science program, tons of help getting a job afterward through things like the career fair, and all the hands-on research opportunities, it’s hard to beat,” she explained.
When asked why she decided to study computer science, she said that her commitment to working in STEM and wanting a variety of topics to study decided for her.
“I had a hard time deciding what I really wanted to do when I was in high school and looking at colleges. But, I wanted to do something in a STEM field and really liked how many different options there are within computer science, both for specialties and for careers. I think I made the right choice, as I definitely love it now and it’s a field that’s hard to get bored of when there are so many options and so many new technologies developing all the time.”
After graduation, Kathryn began working at Capital One in Dallas. She joined through their Technology Development Program, which allowed her to rotate teams after a year to understand better what she wanted to do.
Because of her experiences both in and out of the classroom, Kathryn is well-prepared for her career.
“I feel like Iowa State prepared me incredibly well both with the technical class content and with the softer skills like knowing when to ask for help as I’m stuck on a problem, or how to bucket time for everything that I need to complete in a day to make sure the most important things get done and I still have time for myself,” she noted.
Kathryn also highlighted the value of her capstone project classes and upper-level electives. “The capstone project classes have been especially handy, and the upper-level electives like Dr. Cohen’s course on automated testing have been great to showcase now in my career and have given me some of the best opportunities to get more involved at work."