Megann Horstead
Content Producer
While today’s women find themselves working at rates that seem unreal in comparison to their employment pre-World War I, there are a number of women who are not only employed, but working in male-dominated industries.
But it’s also worth noting how much worse the U.S. is doing in terms of maintaining its female labor force participation than most developed countries, and seeing how few policies are in place to change the dynamic, according to the Washington Post.
Because of national trends in female participation in the work force, there is something notable when women are found working in male-dominated industries. At North Central College, women are no exception to this finding.
Barb Lyon is a North Central College alumni who studied broadcast communications during her time as an undergraduate.
In joining media and all of its forms, broadcast communications rests as a male dominated industry by a margin of nearly 3 to 1, according to womensmediacenter.com.
Lyon is Vice President of Operations at Walsh Media and has held this position since getting promoting in July 2010.
“I visualize myself succeeding; what my day looks like; the process to get “there”; its impact on my family.”
Lyon said she was hired as an Audio Producer and Project Manager by Walsh Media during her senior year at NCC. When her manager resigned in 1995, she became Director of Audio Services, and her career at Walsh advanced from there.
Finding inspiration in listening to Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hessman, WKRP in Cincinnati) led Lyon to broadcast communications.
She said she wanted to be a DJ early on in life. When she started her college search, she committed to NCC.
While attending NCC, she earned an internship with Shadow Traffic, Lyon said she found the experience to be useful in giving her direction.
“That experience led me to step back and think about the kind of person I am, where I am most comfortable and in what environment,” Lyon said. “I’m most likely to be successful. I resolved that I might be happier overall using similar skills in a more structured, corporate environment.”
She talked about ways issues of sex and gender impact women at Walsh Media.
“In my freelance voice over work, I’ve had female coaches tell me to deliver a “sexy” read without apology. We both laugh and know what the client is after so it’s not offensive.”
In a similar situation, a male coach was bothered by asking for her to give him a more “sexy” read.
She said he was clearly trying to be sensitive to the matter, but even so “It wasn’t necessary, but it’s nice that he was thoughtful.”
NCC alumni and Samet & Company PC’s recently promoted director Kristie Bowers Cotter noted issues of sex and gender in the workplace too.
“One issue facing the accounting profession is the lack of women partners. Therefore younger women in accounting lack female role models and mentors.”
Women make up 45% of all professionals at accounting firms but only 21% of firm partners, according to the AICPA.
Cotter has been working with Samet since 2005 when she made the move to Boston. She previously worked in Naperville for DiGiovine, Hnilo, Jordan & Johnson, CPAs (DHJJ CPAs).
She didn’t always know her calling would be accounting. She said she switched her major from education to accounting during her time at North Central.
“It was a happy accident that I ended up switching from education to accounting. I find myself teaching almost everyday but in an environment and in a career that I find rewarding.”
Last year Cotter was honored as an emerging leader in the Massachusetts Society of CPAs “Women to Watch Award.”
“I received many congratulations, but the heartfelt sentiment from the more junior women in the firm meant the most to me.”
With her most recent accomplishment, her goal is to be the first female partner at her firm.
NCC alumni and University of Chicago’s Dean for Medical Education Holly Humphrey noted an instance where gender comes into play at work.
“When I moved to my current position in the dean’s office, I learned to negotiate more effectively. Ultimately, I learned to refine my arguments with as much precision and clarity as possible. Building arguments with quantitative data became my most powerful tool.”
She said she made the decision to pursue work in her field in high school. She has moved from being program director of internal medicine residence to dean for medical education.
“I owe my professional success to very strong mentoring. Interestingly, all of my mentors were men who were personally invested in my success.”
In finding inspiration, Humphrey shared details about her younger sister’s struggle with diabetes.
She said her desire to make a positive contribution with her life comes from “an insatiable curiosity about the world and the infinite possibilities of science…”
NCC alumni and University of Michigan’s Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Chemistry Heather Carlson noted a few concerns for gender issues in the workplace.
“Among younger generations, there are a large number of successful, cutting edge scientists who are women; we’re part of the “club.”
Carlson is a full professor today after serving a post-doctoral fellow for 3.5 years at the University of California, San Diego.
She also shared what she’d wished she know prior to entering her field of work.
“I have a lot of independence in my work, but running a research group is a lot like running a small business,” Carlson said. “Scientists don’t get that kind of training, and I would have made time to learn more about those issues if I could do this all over again.”
Humphrey said, “I have worked hard to learn about bias because of the multiple ways in which bias can impact a learning and work environment.”
In explaining what she’d wished she known before entering a male-dominated industry, Cotter noted a need for psychology courses in her undergraduate education.
“I wish had taken more psychology classes so that I better understand how gender influences our perception of the world,” Cotter said. “Sometimes I approach an issue in a completely different way than my male counterparts. But I think this leads to greater end results.”
In learning a lesson about the value of work ethic from her parents, Lyon said that it’s just a reflex to her now.
“When you’re in the early stages of your career, if you circle around your co-workers, you’ll advance regardless of gender,” Lyon said. “Employers value work ethic because that translates to dollars, which are conveniently androgynous.”
Although happy with her direction in life, Lyon said she wished she’d taken more computer art or computer design courses.
“I think computer art and computer gaming represent a great opportunity for creative people,” Lyon said. “As males are more likely to be avid gamers, it’s probably yet another male-dominated industry, but I’d like to think I could make a mark there. Maybe I’d design a game with a smart, tactical heroine instead of a muscle-bound glamazon with a big gun.”
With these stories of NCC alumni working in male-dominated industries, there is a hope for increased involvement by women.
