As a high school student, Dr. Sue Ellspermann loved math and drawing. After taking a mechanical drawing class, she knew she’d found her calling: engineering. But her school counselors only encouraged girls to pursue fields like teaching, nursing, and accounting. Instead, she applied to Purdue University’s College of Engineering and became a successful industrial engineer, later serving as the first female supervisor in her department at Frito Lay.
Ellspermann, who is now the President of Ivy Tech Community College and previously served as Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor, delivered the keynote address during the 2017 N.E.W. (Nontraditional Employment Opportunities for Women) conference at the A. K. Smith Career Center in Michigan City. Eighth-grade girls from nine middle schools across LaPorte County attended the conference, which was held on October 17 and was sponsored by the LaPorte County Career and Technical Education program.
“Don’t let anyone tell you, ‘you can’t,” said Ellspermann, who emphasized the importance of remaining true to your own ideals. For example, she told students, she always made it clear she wouldn’t participate in negative campaigning, even if it might help her win an election. And against the advice of colleagues, she banned cussing and spitting by her employees in a factory setting -- a move that ultimately earned her respect. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to do it the way guys do. You can do it your way.”
Following Dr. Ellspermann’s keynote, the girls took part in roundtable discussions led by professional women from across the region. Special guests leading the roundtables included women from Horizon Bank, LaPorte County EMS, Edward Jones Financial, LaPorte Chrysler, the City of LaPorte, Applegate & Co., Northwest Indiana Forum, Purdue Northwest, First Trust Credit Union, NIPSCO, Michigan City Police, Michigan City Dental, Westville Correctional Facility, South Central Schools, Michigan City Area Schools, Reins of Life, the Uptown Center and several others.
The conference concluded with an afternoon of hands-on “try it” activities in career fields in which women are traditionally underrepresented. These sessions gave girls an opportunity to try their hand welding, machining, firefighting, electronics, and more.
Funding and support for the conference was made possible by Alcoa, the Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan City Commission for Women, Women in Leadership of LaPorte County, Simon Properties, and Garwood Orchards.