May 20, 2026 4:45p
(WGTD)---You never know when you’ll need Gateway Technical College.
Mykayla Romo-Ramirez grew up in Kenosha wanting to become a concert pianist. But her plans slowly evolved away from music around the time she graduated from Tremper High School. She considered but ultimately rejected Carthage. A semester at Parkside was unfulfilling. She wound up enrolling at Gateway to pursue a degree in architecture, but then was persuaded by a teacher to consider civil engineering.
Mykayla walked the stage Tuesday night at the first of two Gateway commencement ceremonies and picked up an associate degree in Civil Engineering and a pair of technical diplomas.
She’s already happily employed fulltime as an estimator and project manager at Willkomm Excavating and Grading in Union Grove.
In explaining how one led to another, Mykayla sees a parallel between music and engineering. "I will say I'm very much a numbers person which in music you have to be. It's very coordinated which I love," Mykayla told WGTD in a phone interview. "I think that's why I love civil engineering so much. You have to be meticulous and organized. You have to have a deep knowledge of everything."
Based on her experiences, the 23 year-old Mykayla has some words of comfort for high schoolers who are uncertain about a career path. "In high school they push you--once you hit 16 or 17--you have to choose your life path," she said. "I think it's okay to be uncertain and find something you find interesting and then if it's not for you it's okay to pursue something else as long as you keep moving forward."
In addition to gaining a degree and a new job, Mykayla got married last December. Her husband also enrolled at Gateway, pursuing a career in H-V-A-C.
Over 600 graduates were expected to participate in the Tuesday and Wednesday evening ceremonies held at UW-Parkside. Gateway graduated a total of 1,636 students over the past 10 months, according to the school.
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