Meet the Moebus Scholars: Rapp launches career in aeronautics sector

Butte native Katelyn Rapp (Mechanical Engineering, ’24) moved to Palmdale, California this August, to begin her professional career as a systems engineer at Northrop Grumman in the aeronautics sector.

It’s a new beginning that was facilitated in part thanks to the Marie Moebus Presidential Scholarships. The scholarships are Montana Tech’s most prestigious and competitive awards. They combine a tuition waiver with cash and are renewable for up to four years.

“I worked hard in high school to be a well-rounded student with grades, sports, and extracurriculars, and when I learned I had received this scholarship, it felt like everything had all paid off and I was making the right decision to go to Tech,” Rapp said. “As an in-state student, the Marie Moebus Scholarship covered my tuition and fees for four years, and any extra money from other scholarships came right back to me. I was making money simply by going to school. With the lack of stress from tuition costs, I could completely immerse myself in my studies and extracurriculars and make the most of my college experience.”

Rapp said she chose Montana Tech because of its reputation as a powerhouse producer of engineering graduates.

“I decided to go to Montana Tech because I knew it was a great engineering school. I liked the small class sizes and hands-on learning. My sister graduated from Tech in the Business Department and had nothing but great things to say about her time, so I was sold. Not only is it a great school, but it’s at a price you can’t beat.”

 Rapp had already decided on a major by the time she arrived.

 “I knew I wanted to be a mechanical engineer for quite a while, so I was pretty confident starting out, which isn’t always common,” Rapp said. “I loved math and science and problem-solving. I loved the idea that my future job would never be boring; I would always be challenged. Mechanical engineering is a pretty broad major, so I knew I could always do something exciting, and job prospects would be good. The engineering program at Tech had some great freshman seminars highlighting each major, which helped confirm my choice.”

Rapp’s time at Montana Tech was filled with opportunities and relationships that blossomed outside of the classroom.

“One of the many highlights of my time was my involvement with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE),” Rapp said. “I attended three of the National Women Engineering Conferences, which boasts a huge career fair. I also interned which led to my full-time job! Not only did SWE open doors for my career, but I was able to make a great group of lifelong friends.”

Rapp has some advice for high school students considering Montana Tech.

“I would highly recommend applying for the Marie Moebus Scholarship if you are thinking about Tech. I know the application process may be daunting when applying for scholarships, but a lot of the essay and short answer prompts overlap so you never really start from square one. Don’t doubt yourself, don’t be afraid to brag. Even if you might not meet all the given criteria, it never hurts to apply. Like most things, the worst that can happen is they say no. If you don’t receive the Marie Moebus Scholarship, don’t sweat it. There are so many great scholarship opportunities through Tech, your communities, and the national level. You can also apply for scholarships throughout every school year. Look out for them and apply!”

For more information about the Marie Moebus Presidential Scholarships, visit https://www.mtech.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/presidential/index.html or contact Montana Tech Admissions at admissions@mtech.edu or (406) 496-4791.