Never, ever, let me forget this...

[tigery]

"You are going to be a young woman in a “mans” profession. Well, it was that way 50 years ago. The dinosaurs are almost all gone; ALMOST. Some of their children possess some of their obsolete beliefs. That is the way it is. It isn’t just engineering, it is any profession where men used to dominate; damn near everything except nursing, teaching and being a nun. Most of the progressive firms, like [his company], have opened the doors for women and even created special programs for women who are ambitious and capable. You just have to decide, do I want it. There is no stopping you if the answer is yes. You have to work hard, show you don’t expect anything you don’t earn. At the same time don’t let anybody walk on you; when confronted with that kind of situation you must be polite when you put someone in their place. You should be a lady at all times while being aggressive, inquisitive, and determined. This is a profession not a social club. Your not one of the guys, you are different. That difference is your edge. You think differently, see things at a different angle, analyze things differently, all that is good. As a graduate engineer you very little experience to base anything on; you feel lost; feel intimidated by all the brains around you; worried about what others think of you and your performance; just inadequate in general. All this is perfectly normal. It will pass. Don’t lose focus. Learn something new everyday. Ask questions being careful not to let them know just how stupid you feel. "

- A Mentor

I have fantastic mentors in my life and am forever thankful for them.