CEE senior Sidney Hutchison

An appropriate metaphor may be that CEE senior Sidney Hutchison is a bridge between two very different fields. The CEE senior is double majoring in both civil engineering and dance.

“Everyone says ‘That’s weird, but ok,’” Hutchison said with a laugh.

Exposed to engineering at a young age by her parents, both of whom are mechanical engineers, Hutchison began considering engineering as a profession while taking STEM courses in high school.

“I picked civil engineering because I like working on a tangible product, such as a bridge.’” Hutchison said, “I also love working with people and construction is all about working with people.”

Working on the Bayonne Bridge in New York City.

This past summer, Hutchison interned with Kiewit’s Bridge & Marine District division in New York City. She worked on a project to retrofit the historical Bayonne Bridge, allowing it to accommodate larger boats arriving from the recently expanded Panama Canal. During the internship, Hutchison participated in safety walks, prepared documents for meetings, assisted with concrete pours and drafted project plans. With several other female engineers working on the project, she was able to benefit from their mentoring and guidance.

“All the men are great and help you figure things out, too, but I wouldn’t mind if there were more women,” Hutchison said.

Hutchison’s other passion, dance, is something she became involved in an early age while growing up in Ontario, Canada. After learning to figure skate “like any good Canadian,” she transitioned to dance and learned to perform everything from ballet to tap. She also dabbled in trapeze.

When her family moved to Washington during Hutchison’s teenage years, she joined her high school’s winterguard team. Her passion for the activity led her to participate in Drum Corps International in 2016, as a member of the Oregon Crusaders colorguard. 

Performing as a member of the Oregon Crusaders colorguard.

Double majoring in the UW Department of Dance, Hutchison is pursuing the traditional track, focusing on jazz and lyrical dance, which combines ballet with jazz. In her spare time, she serves as a judge for dance competitions and helps choreograph musicals for a student group on campus.

Although a senior, Hutchison will graduate in 2018-19 due to the additional credits required for her double major – and a minor in construction management.