I do not think I can discuss
mentors and role models without giving the first shout out to my family. Very few women in my family have been
traditional, stay at home, wives.
Grandma Charlotte retired from Crescent Plastics; she always told the
best stories about the ladies in her department with all the work place gossip
intact. My maternal grandmother, Doris,
aka Mimi, was widowed when I was very young; she was the first female
professional that I encountered. I had no idea what she did at “the bank” but
she had a beautiful, highly polished desk, she wore heels, dresses, jewelry, and
make-up. Always immaculately put together, I thought she was very important and
tremendously glamorous. My own mother,
Momma Sue, as she is affectionately referred, worked in healthcare. As a phlebotomist, she was in scrubs, no
jewelry, no make-up, no pretty shoes, but her ability to juggle a full-time job
and manage a home with two active kids and a husband that worked long,
unpredictable hours in construction was amazing. I grew up believing that women could do
anything.
Throughout elementary and high school, I had a variety of role
models and mentors that provided concrete evidence that women were intelligent,
capable, and creative. I had only to dream and I could make it a reality. Girl Scout leaders (Judy Weaver, Betty
Statham, Karen Selby) provided a smorgasbord of experiences: National
Convention in exotic Kansas City, hiking/camping/backpacking at a variety of
state parks and the illustrious Camp Koch, State Page for the Indiana General
Assembly, and a multitude of badges teaching me everything from sewing to
accounting and finance. Coaches/teachers
(Ginger Lutterman, Fred Bracher, Eldon Hopkins) reinforced a belief in self and
perseverance both on the court and in the classroom. Why wouldn’t the
volleyball team be honored at the fall assembly along with football? Why
wouldn’t there be a 50/50 gender split in calculus or advanced chemistry? In
fact, my recollection is that of the several valedictorians/salutatorians in my
graduating class (yes, we had several of each – over achievers!), there was a
slight female advantage.
You can imagine my horror and shock when I entered engineering
school only to discover a complete lack of female instructors. It was also my first encounter of gender
bias. Was it intentional? Probably not. It still smacked me in the face
at a point without any female leadership or guidance. Fortunately, there was a very, very small
group of inspirational women in school with me (Melissa Dilger, Michelle
Graves, Debbie Gross, etc…). We provided
each other with the feedback, coaching, and support to successfully navigate a
minefield of self-doubt perpetuated by a leader that truly believed women
should not be engineers and he had a duty to steer us in an alternate
direction. We overcame. We triumphed. We
graduated.
As I look back over my career, I have to question whether it was
luck or some unseen design that provided such a plethora of wonderfully
enlightened, energetic, and enthusiastic colleagues. Intentionally, I will not label them as
mentors, role models, or friends. Some
embodied all and others played a pivotal role at an instance when I needed
support, guidance, or encouragement.
Many are women. Others are men who never saw a gender boundary (Mike
Reibsamen, Kirk Sakel, Scott Collins, Tony McKimmy, Kenny Grismore, Andy
Odorzynski). Whether it was sheparding
my career as I started a family (Linda Duvall, Paula Lee) or pushing me out
into the global landscape (Mike Anthony, Patty Cox), they each saw something in
me that I didn’t see in myself and helped me to expand and grow. My network pressed
me to take risks (Pat Chandler, Kathy Hardesty, Jose Feito), not limiting my
career to simply what I had learned or experienced thus far but to apply it in
novel ways to both the benefit of myself and an employer. Often, they have
thrust me into uncomfortable, but wildly rewarding opportunities (Terri
Pitcher, Debbie Garrison, Mandy McCain).
It is only now, as I acknowledge but a handful of my influencers
on paper, that I realize how truly fortunate I have been. I grew up without
knowledge of boundaries and with role models that believed hard work was a
prerequisite for success. I stumbled into personal/professional relationships
with servant leaders who had little to gain from my accomplishments beyond
small measures of gratitude. My framily (yes, that is friends and family pushed
together in a seamless fashion) includes trailblazers who have proven women in
STEM can knock it out of the park (Marcy Mohler, Emily Millsap) and that women
entrepreneurs can be fierce and creative (Terri Lewis, Mandy Patterson). It, also, includes unsung, compassionate heroes
who provide comfort, laughter, and companionship (Christy Boring, Wendy Payne,
Erika Liddle, Kathy Hartz, Diane Wells, Melissa Kettinger).
I am always stumped when a new professional asks me how to find a
mentor; this is what they need to conquer the world! Mentors. Role models. Peers. Friends.
Teachers. Family. Coaches. Students. Teammates. Influencers are all around you. Ask for what you need. Be open to feedback.
Ensure that you give a little something back: gratitude, thankfulness, or a
measure of your day to someone else. I
do not believe that life is a zero sum game. I do not win because you lose. We
all win when we help each other. We all win when we stop erecting
boundaries. The world is simply a better
place when it is filled with optimism, creativity, and fellowship.
In closing, I give thanks to my biggest fan, my husband. Yes, it
is cliché, but he is my cheerleader, my sounding board, the instigator behind
the scene that loves and supports my success and helps me find value in my
failure.
Christine (Reed) Barnhart
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