December 12, 2016
Our Mom's Support


Dr. Laura:

My mother graduated with a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering and worked very hard to earn her place in an industry that was more male-dominated back then than it is today.  When I was born, she gave up her hard-won career to raise me and eventually my three younger siblings.

When my youngest brother graduated high school, she went back to graduate school to earn her Ph.D. in electrical engineering.  In a few weeks, she will have finished teaching her first college level engineering course.  Through all of this, our dad was her number one supporter, and helped out when he could, but she was there for our family nonetheless.

Her dissertation is dedicated to her grandmother, and I thought you'd like to hear what she wrote:

This dissertation is dedicated to my grandmother who raised her children, then dared to pursue her dream of attending college even though she had never finished high school.  Her accomplishment inspired me to believe this goal was attainable.  And to young women who hear the siren call of our culture urging them to forgo child rearing with its trials and delayed gratification in order to pursue the more immediate gratification of a professional career, you CAN have it all if you organize your life in a serial manner and not in parallel, taking on everything at once.

Needless to say, our entire family is very proud of my mother!

Risa


Posted by Staff at 10:59 AM