Fellow:Sierra Bonn

Serving as UIF Since: Fall 2018

School: Wichita State University

What She Does Now: Senior in Engineering Technology Management with minors in Anthropology and Marketing

What Does That Mean: She's an engineer who enjoys people

Contact Her About: STEAM education, intellectual property, politics, and beauty pageants

Social Media: Instagram - @misssouthwest2020 or @gingernessy Twitter - @gingernessy Facebook - Sierra Marie Bonn

Email: sierramariebonn@gmail.com

Sierra Marie Bonn is a University Innovation Fellow and student at Wichita State University majoring in Engineering Technology Mangement and minoring in Anthropology and Marketing. Sierra was born in Denver, CO, and then moved to Montreal, QC, to live for her early years. She moved with her family to a small town in Kansas and graduated from El Dorado High School in 2014.

Sierra has always been an entrepreneur, starting her first business at 9 years old -- Soapsations, a soap making company. Once she reached high school, she helped start her school’s first DECA Chapter, and then competed internationally for 3 years in the Marketing and Professional Selling events. While she loved business, she did not want to become a business major when she went to college, and instead she chose to pursue her love for innovation by attending Wichita State University to major in engineering.

Sierra has spent her first few years working in Higher Education, focusing on mentoring first-year students and helping them transition to university life. Now, she works as an Intellectual Property Analyst at WSU Ventures, a technology transfer and patent office at Wichita State. Sierra also serves as the Vice President of the local SWISE Chapter, as the Beta Chi chapter of Gamma Phi Beta’s Educational Advisor, and as Miss Southwest 2020 through the Miss America Organization.

Through studying, working, and finding her passions at WSU, Sierra has created “Let's Go Full STEAM Ahead!” an educational initiative to promote science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education and engagement in underrepresented minorities, specifically young girls. She believes that young women should be empowered to accomplish whatever they dream, and that they should be supported to become astronauts, artists, and even Miss America. By promoting STEAM education and engagement and showcasing their potential to thrive in STEAM careers, young women are empowered to achieve their dreams.