Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, B.S. (2013)

Continuous Improvement Coordinator - John Deere

Hometown: McIntosh, MN

Now lives in: Gackle, ND

Career path: Throughout my summers at NDSU, I interned at John Deere and Polaris in various engineering disciplines. After graduation, I went into the Engineering Development Program (EDP) at John Deere. I started out as a Quality Engineer at Drivetrain Operations in Waterloo, IA. After that I became a Manufacturing Engineer for the 7R/8R Chassis assembly line at TCAO in Waterloo, IA. Next, I moved back to North Dakota and became a Manufacturing Engineer supporting the No-Till and Air Cart assembly lines at John Deere Seeding Group in Valley City, ND. Last year I took the position of Continuous Improvement Coordinator for John Deere Seeding Group in Valley City, ND. I am active as a Campus Recruiter for John Deere and I also run our Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program for the Valley City factory. 

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?

There are a few elements I believe inspired me to pursue an engineering degree. In high school I had amazing teachers that fueled my interest for math and science. Secondly, growing up on a farm never has it’s shortages of learning moments. I was always encouraged to learn how things work and get my hands dirty. Lastly, I was always interested in questions like ‘How can I fix this?” “How can I improve this?”, now I get to ask (and answer) those same questions just on a larger scale! 

What’s it like being a woman in a male dominated field?

One of the greatest things about being a woman in a male dominated field is that you are not always going to have the same view as the majority of the room. Your life experiences and personality help you look at things in a different way. As a female, you are so valued because you bring this diverse perspective into the room. 

What advice would you give to young girls interested in engineering?

Don’t let all the different fields of engineering overwhelm you. I did not know what kind of engineer that I wanted to be right away either! Just jump in and start taking classes. Also, try to get involved in organizations and build a network with the students around you. It will make college a whole lot easier. 

What’s your best memory from NDSU?

My time at NDSU is full of amazing memories so it is hard to narrow them down. The Graduation Commencement Ceremony at the Fargodome when I graduated in Spring of 2013 and also the Study Abroad trip to Europe to complete my Business Administration Minor. We visited 9 countries over 6 weeks and took classes at the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

How did your NDSU education prepare you for your career?

My education at NDSU gave me a well-rounded foundation to build a career on. On top of my engineering degree, I received a foundation in leadership and people skills through the opportunity to be a member of and lead campus organizations. I was highly involved with Society of Women Engineers and Engineering and Architecture Ambassadors. The friendships and network I built at NDSU have followed me through my professional career as well. Also, the Engineering and Tech Expo that takes place every fall helped place me in my internships and finally my final career! 

What’s the biggest misconception about your job? 

People think that engineers just sit in front of a computer and design things. The great thing about having an engineering degree is that quite simply, you can solve problems. There are problems to be solved in every industry and all over the world. Your career as an engineer will evolve into what you want it to be. If you want to sit in front of a computer and design things, you can do that! If you want to be on the factory floor all day solving problems and getting to create lasting relationships with employees, you can do that too! Your engineering degree can become just about anything that you want it to be.