After earning her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, LeAnn Clark thought she’d finished her education. She’d secured a job at Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, as a mechanical systems design engineer. In that role, she performs everything from the development and documentation for environmental control systems to system maintenance and modification. Each day brings new challenges as she works with customers, suppliers, and colleagues.
Clark, however, has never been afraid of challenges. Her hobbies include everything from video games and volunteering at animal shelters to motocross racing and road trips on her BMW F700GS motorcycle. She has a drive to improve no matter the circumstances, and this lead her to the UW-Platteville Master of Science in Engineering program.
“I never thought I would go back to school, but to further my career at Boeing, I decided I would need to,” Clark said. “The program has helped me with project management skills, Six Sigma, and 5S understandings, plus my communication skills have improved. The program even influenced me to pursue a different career path in The Boeing Company, being a technical leader versus a manager.”
Like with her work and hobbies, Clark committed herself fully to school. Working over 40 hours a week at Boeing, it was critical that her classes stay on schedule. She worked hard and read ahead, ensuring she could take her time with each assignment. When asked if she had advice for engineering students, Clark had two recommendations. “Don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions of your peers or your professors. Then my advice is to plan out your classes. Most professors can tell you about the classes they teach ahead of time, so you can get an idea of what you would enjoy taking.”
Clark earned her degree in 2017, but her professional development didn’t stop there. The knowledge gained in her degree program has been complemented by resources from groups like the Society for Women Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Clark encourages other UW-Platteville students and alumni to find resources like these in their areas of interest. With her degree and these resources in her tool belt, she’s already pursuing her next challenge.
“I am still working toward a technical leader position and a master’s degree definitely put me on that path,” Clark said.