She got an associate degree from the University of Colorado before working as a high school mathematics and physics teacher for two years.

[2] Counts went to work in Westinghouse Electric Corporation until deciding to return again to gain a higher degree.

The replies were notable for the number which stated "this university does not have and never expects to have any women engineering students".

Despite the great number of negative replies it turned out that there were about 200 women students in engineering courses.

Counts remained focused on the creation and maintenance of such an organisation and in women's education in engineering.