18 Mar 2025 From LEGO Robots to Rhodes Scholar: Meet Katie Ameku

Katie Ameku discovered early on that STEM skills could unlock a world of possibilities.

She joined her school’s FIRST LEGO League team in fifth grade, amazed by how basic coding could make a robot move—and she never looked back. By high school, she was designing robot components with CAD, machining, and taking on key roles for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1723, the F.B.I. of Independence, Mo.

“I had the technical skills and got on the travel team at a time when it was really competitive,” Katie said. “They made a new Rookie of the Year award, and I was the first one to ever get it. I loved it all so much.”

She was all in. She enrolled in the Independence School District’s STEM Academy’s engineering pathway and took every available Project Lead The Way (PLTW) course, eager to be as prepared as possible to support her robotics team.

So, when she applied for team captain and didn’t get it, she was crushed. What she couldn’t have known then: that disappointment would set her on a path toward eventually winning the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

“The team had sophomores as captains before, so when I didn’t get it, I was so distraught,” Katie said. “I worked so hard for this; I really wanted a leadership role. I know now that I was probably too young for it, but I wanted to show people I was ready. So, I looked inward and asked, ‘What is our team missing? What part of FIRST are we not engaging with?’ And I realized it was the community aspect.”

A pivot to outreach

As she surveyed the community around her, she was frustrated by how few parents knew about STEM opportunities, and how many of her fellow high school students didn’t know much about the robotics program.

“You learn so many skills that can prepare you for great careers that pay well and give you technical abilities that help throughout life,” Katie said.

She also noticed a lack of diversity—too few girls, not enough students of color—and decided her team needed to do more outreach.

Starting with one elementary school PTA president, she pitched a new event: Robots with Dad. It was a hit, and they took it to more schools. She and her teammates modified a robot to play catch, engaging younger students. Soon, she expanded to Head Start programs, introducing parents to the power of STEM. It was her first taste of public service, and she loved it.

Lab life or science leadership?

Her efforts earned her a Regional FIRST Dean’s List Award. As she considered college, mechanical engineering was her top choice—until she received a full-tuition scholarship to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Coe didn’t have an engineering program, but its strong physics program intrigued her. From her high school PLTW courses, she knew physics could provide a solid foundation for an advanced degree in mechanical engineering.

She immersed herself in college life, conducting research on heavy metal glasses, getting published, and spending summers in labs at the University of Georgia and the University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, her network from robotics outreach opened doors in state politics. In 2022, she became the youngest member of the Missouri Senatorial Democratic Committee for the 11th District.

At the same time she was balancing all these responsibilities, she applied for the prestigious Truman Scholarship for public service. She was a finalist, but didn’t win. Then came a bigger question: Should she apply for the Rhodes? Her scholarship advisor encouraged her. Coe’s last Rhodes Scholar enthusiastically supported her potential. But Katie herself was apprehensive.

“I’m a numbers person,” Katie said. “I could see the odds were not in my favor. Thousands of people apply from the best universities in the country, and there are only 32 spots.”

That summer, while working in the lab at the University of Pennsylvania, she had two realizations: One, she loved outreach and leadership more than lab work. And two, she should indeed apply for the Rhodes Scholarship.

“I realized that sitting in a computational lab for eight hours a day was not the best use of my skills,” Katie said. “I have a knack for leadership. I’ve won awards, ran big outreach events like Playground of Science for the Physics Club. That’s what I was most excited about—my science leadership, more than the science itself.”

The Rhodes Scholarship

With that new perspective, she threw herself into the Rhodes application process, using her outreach experiences with FIRST as a foundation. In November, she was one of 100 finalists. And the same day she interviewed, she learned she won! Beginning next October, she plans to study “Philosophy, Politics and Economics” at Oxford University.

“It’s the perfect intersection of both my interests,” Katie said. “Technology is evolving so fast, and the people in power often aren’t educated in it. We need informed leaders shaping policy on both sides.”

As she prepares for her next step, she offers advice to young women following in her footsteps: “Paving your own path is always worth the effort,” she said. “Remember that your self-worth isn’t based on what others think.”

Katie encourages finding strong mentors, supportive peer groups, and embracing new challenges. She credits FIRST and PLTW for giving her not just technical knowledge, but also the resilience to turn setbacks into opportunities.

“What you’re really learning is how to solve problems and not be afraid to try new things.”