Kerstin Trahan

Meet Kerstin Trahan, a senior in Engineering Technology, a SkillsUSA national champion, and a future United States Naval Aviator. Kerstin entered Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech with no hesitations; she knew from the moment she stepped foot in the building that this is where she belonged. As a senior, Kerstin displays her dedication through her participation in various AP and Honors classes as well as membership with GNBVT’s National Honor Society. Not only is she involved heavily in her academic courses, but she also has a passion for her career technical area, Engineering Technology. One of her favorite things about Engineering is it allows her to showcase her ability to design new and unique prototypes that can function. For Kerstin, seeing her designs come to life has to be one of her most rewarding experiences at Voc-Tech. 

One of her personal goals for life after high school is to enlist in the US Navy in order to work on the electrical components for naval aircrafts. Once finishing her service, Kerstin aspires to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology and eventually obtain a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering. After her schooling is completed, her main career goal is to be able to work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) creating rockets. 

Through her various experiences attending GNB Voc-Tech, Kerstin has transformed from a shy student to an open and expressive young lady.  Kerstin attributes much of this transformation to the influence her former related teacher, Mrs. Basse, had on her since freshman year. She helped Kerstin by believing in her and supporting her through struggles when many others would not. By helping her grow, Mrs. Basse helped Kerstin gain the confidence needed for her to become part of the next generation of women in STEM.

An important lesson that Kerstin learned throughout her four years at Voc-Tech is that the more you stress, the less happy you are with your life, personally and academically. By learning how to balance academic life and extracurriculars with her personal life she has been able to achieve a perfect balance. While Kerstin may want to work in rocket science, it isn’t rocket science to know that she is destined for greatness.