Athletics and Academics: What Brought Kaiya Firor to Western

A combination of athletics and academics drew Kaiya Firor to Western Colorado University.

Kaiya runs for Western as a NCAA Women’s Track athlete, and she is a sophomore in the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Kaiya first joined track at Hotchkiss High School. During that time, she won first in both 300-meter hurdles and 400-meter dashes three years in a row, holding the state record in her 2A class division.

“Track side, my favorite coach, Lindsey Grasmick, and the head track and field coach here at Western recruited me, but the real deciding factor for me coming to Western was the engineering program,” Kaiya said.

Finding the Right Class Size

The classes at Western are her style.

“I like my classes, especially how small they are. I have friends at Colorado State University and their classes are huge, while at Western we know all of our professors,” Kaiya said.

She continued to say they help her learn by allowing her to ask many more questions and to interact with professors personally.

“I picked the Mechanical Engineering program because I love math, science and problem-solving,” Kaiya said.

Exploring Mechanical Engineering

According to Kaiya, a small school in her state with an engineering program was exactly what she was looking for so she could fully explore her major.

Learn more about the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering.

Check out Western’s athletic teams and campus recreation.

 

Author Credit: Jamie Rivera

Photo Credit: Emma Brophy