Meghan Drew’s grandfather was an automotive engineer who sparked her interest in math and science.She grew up in Morton, Illinois, near Peoria, and earned a degree in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: “I chose civil because I like being able to see the things I’ve designed get built, and I like giving back to the community.”After college she worked four years with the CDM Smith consulting firm; she’s now in her fourth year as a project engineer with the Chicago office of Black & Veatch. She received the 2025 Outstanding Young Professional from the
