Women in STEM
Kealee Humphrey, Audrey McCullough, Gabby Burris, Sarah Abdelsamed (THK Manufacturing)
Licking County is home to many career opportunities in STEM fields. On November 8th, we celebrated National STEM Day. Historically, jobs in STEM fields have been predominantly held by men. However, the increased need for a growing workforce is one factor helping to break down those barriers for women. GROW Licking County had the opportunity to sit down with several women in STEM making a difference right here in Licking County.
Drew McDaniel, Site Systems Analyst at Covestro, was first introduced to STEM when her mom bought her computer in 9th grade. This inspired her to pursue an associate’s degree at Central Ohio Technical College and then a bachelor’s at Muskingum University in information systems. Drew started her career as an IT Manager for Hilton. She then moved on to be an IT Manager at Tamarack Farms, and then to her most recent position at Covestro.
When asked what advice she would give to young girls interested in STEM, Drew says, “stick with it, and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.” When Drew was in college, she was one of only two women in her computer programming class. She hopes that as more women enter STEM fields, it will take away the stigma of being in a male-dominated field and inspire a younger generation. Drew encourages her own daughters to explore STEM through their school’s programs.
Sarah Boes, Process Engineer at Covestro, was encouraged to pursue engineering by one of her teachers since she had always excelled at math and science. Covestro was her first job out of college, where she started in research and development at their Pittsburgh location. When asked about the future of women in STEM, she said she has noticed a higher percentage of women in recent years. She has also noticed a culture change within STEM fields, making it more attractive for women to work in these fields. Sarah encourages people interested in STEM to go after opportunities and follow their interests.
Audrey McCullough, Project Engineer at THK Manufacturing, was first exposed to STEM when she took engineering courses in college. She enjoyed the new challenges and problem-solving aspects of engineering. Audrey started an internship at THK in 2018, then later went on to be the first full-time female engineer in her department. “I don’t think engineering is limited by gender,” says Audrey.
When asked about the future of women in STEM, Audrey hopes, “instead of being ‘Women in STEM’ it's just ‘STEM’.” Her advice for people deciding their career path is to not let others pressure them and follow their passion.
Sarah Abdelsamed, DX Engineer at THK, grew up in a family of engineers. She was originally interested in art until her older brother encouraged her at a young age to pursue STEM. She compares her job to solving puzzles. Sarah advises young girls interested in STEM to find space for themselves and don’t be intimidated. She also encourages people to utilize the internet to teach themselves new skills. Today, having access to thousands of internet resources helps remove some of the boundaries women have had in the past. This also gives them an opportunity to research and learn about other inspiring people.
Kealee Humphrey, Engineering Lead at THK, got her start in a tech prep program at her local vocational school. Her plan was to keep her grades high so that she could attend college for free. Kealee has been in the industry for almost 15 years. She has appreciated the job security and ability to provide for her family that her career in engineering has provided. She always enjoyed figuring things out. When asked about the future of women in engineering, she hopes that it continues to grow until women in engineering are no longer the minority. Her advice to young girls is “be willing to push the limit.”
Gabby Burris, Project Engineer at THK, came from a rural area and always wanted her career to be hands-on. Engineering has given her the opportunity to gain knowledge at work and apply those problem-solving skills to her life outside of work. “It’s everything you could want in a field being hands-on,” Gabby says.
Gabby encourages young girls to follow their interests in life. “Don’t let anyone steer you from the path you want to be on,” Gabby says.
If you are interested in learning more about STEM opportunities in Licking County, check out Licking County Works Career Pathways Resources to access additional information.
