"America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand."

-Harry Truman

This is the story of determination, perseverance, a strong work ethic, love, and patriotism. It is the story of how everything we do and experience in life affects the next step we take. It is the story of Mindy (Snyder) Anderson, Central Catholic Class class of 2005, my former student who is currently a Systems Integrations Analyst at Lockheed Martin.

 As I was interviewing Mindy, I was able to recall some of the opportunities and choices about college and jobs that she shared with me as they happened, but she also gave me much insight into her current life, the world of global business, a world which is certainly foreign to me.

Mindy's professional story begins with her acceptance into Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster. 

(Years later this would have even greater significance to me after my son Alex began his college journey there.) Mindy's major: Business Organization and Society. This is a very "F&M" approach to business, as the college seeks to not only educate their students in the field, but to see all aspects of their major in interactions with each other, the community, and the world. For example, Mindy's math professor encouraged the students to read Blink: The Power of Positive Thinking by Malcom Gladwell. From what I know of this book, theses insights would be practical in Mindy's current position!

Mindy was able to graduate in three and a half years after completing Independent Studies and Internships, many related to business. Upon graduation, Mindy's determination  and perseverance was evident as she began her career job search while paying the bills 
( we all know about college loans!)  Before her first professional position she worked at Valhalla Health and Fitness Club at the desk, at a cleaning service, and as a Promotion/Marketing Assistant at Anheuser-Busch...yes, she was a Beer Girl! 

After only 6 months, Mindy landed her first professional job in a marketing role with The Water Guy, a local home and office water delivery company. She worked there a year, but a position with Lockheed Martin was presented to her, an opportunity too good to pass up. 

Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company whose focus is research, design and manufacturing of advanced technical systems and services. Yes, think SR-71 Blackbird ( the fastest plane on earth!) 

 but it's also more. For example, the company has designed and manufactured  GPS satellites, automated parcel systems for the USPS, and the first Disney Monorail!

Mindy launched (pun intended!) with Lockheed Martin in the Operation Leadership Development Program, a 2-year program that focused on 4 different types of jobs in the company: sourcing, quality, manufacturing, and an elective. During this time she trained employees in the Lockheed Martin Procure to Pay Tool; she was a manufacturing controller (creating purchasing requisitions) for millions of nuts, bolts and screws; she was involved in the Government Industry Data Exchange Program, where she had to assure the product ( like a microcircuit) was what it was supposed to be. (To help me understand, she made the analogy of seeing the difference between a real and fake Prada bag---got it!)
 To do this she had to become NASA certified in soldering so she could have a true understanding of all those flight parts.

One of Mindy's favorite positions (which led to her first "job" outside the leadership program) was as a Quality Engineer where she created the Continual Improvement Team. Here she was tasked with "leaning things out," creating a more efficient workplace for the company. Can a job be done faster by omitting steps? changing the position of items? moving in a more direct pattern? Her team was responsible for saving the company over $2 million dollars by working more efficiently. This position seems perfectly fitted for the task-oriented, focused Mindy that I knew in high school.

This is not the Mindy from high school! Here she is visiting the Kennedy Space Center during her first year at Lockheed Martin. This is overlooking the Space Shuttle Discovery before its final launch into space.

Mindy's current position is Systems Integration Analyst. She manages the Telecom Inventory and Provisioning System (TIPS). For every cell phone, pager, iPad, Wifi device, cable modem, and company phone, Mindy and her team is responsible for its inventory, procurement, and payment. ( And I can barely find my cell phone!) When I was interviewing her she was anticipating a 2 AM computer work session. Why? Because that is the time when theses devices were least likely to be used. 

Mindy is able to work from her home office on some days. That's her with her assistant, Solly!

Mindy's pride in her job is evident as she speaks. She is thrilled to be part of Lockheed Martin's motto: "We never forget who we're working for." I sensed a depth of patriotism, so I asked her if growing up her family was patriotic. Well, interesting that I should ask...Both of Mindy's grandfathers were in the military. Her father's father was a Marine in the Korean War. He earned the  Purple Heart when he lost both legs in battle. Her mother's father was in the Army during that same war.  Mindy feels that her job now lets her be connected to family members who also didn't forget who they were working for.

Mindy's grandfathers

This is what I meant when I said how our lives are connected through experience, family, hard work, and love. There's no doubt that Mindy's work at Lockheed Martin (and even as a Beer Girl!) would be looked on with pride by her grandfathers and all her family members. Who would have thought that the global values instilled at Franklin and Marshall would become a basis for a position at a company that impacts the world!

And who would have thought that I'd be sitting in the home of my student-turned friend as she taught me about business organization (not to mention pride in one's career choice). This young woman has so much ahead of her --and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Life is good. God bless America.