Jackie Jiran

I chose Michigan Tech after attending a summer session of Women in Engineering. My interest was piqued by the academics and I immediately fell in love with the Keweenaw.

I was affected by the kindness and enthusiasm of Professors George Dewey and Thom Van Dam in the Civil Engineering Department. I was also lucky enough to take classes from Professor Cynthia Selfe, Humanities Department Head. She recognized my love of the humanities and helped me become a better writer.

I heard Kurt Vonnegut speak at Fisher Hall in 1997. I was a resident assistant in Coed/McNair Hall for three years. I once studied for a chemistry exam on a picnic table overlooking Eagle Harbor. I enjoyed helping graduate students with their theses as a writing coach at the Writing Center.

I felt prepared to work, but unprepared for the politics that often exist in the workplace. Companies sometimes make decisions based on more than logic and sound engineering practices, which I learned on the job. Gender inequality also exists in the workplace, which I did not experience in the classroom at Tech.

My first job was with Gerace Construction Co. in Midland, MI. I also worked for Hubbell, Roth and Clark, Inc.; Michigan Department of Transportation and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I currently work as a freelance editor and substitute teacher.

Passing the professional engineer exam was definitely a highlight for me. My position at the Wisconsin Highway Research Program allowed me to reconnect and collaborate with MTU researchers. That was a proud moment for me!

My advice on success is to be a lifelong learner. If you are truly interested in your work, it will help propel you through some of the difficult trials that can accompany a business environment. Find a mentor and surround yourself with a good team. Don't be afraid to make a change.

"Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, from “A Psalm of Life”

Profile Created, Summer 2020