Career Day 2008

Queen of Peace Presents Students with Career Opportunities

Electrical engineer Kelly McCann, a 1983 Queen of Peace alumna, shares her story with Peace students, discussing educational background, classes, college, and job opportunities during Peace’s annual Career Fair on April 16. With her technical background, McCann told students that she was the engineer who in 1995 made the first digital cell phone call from Hong Kong to America.

1983 Queen of Peace alumna Elise Covic shows students the type of work she does day to day as a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago. Here, she shows students the different parts of the brain she studies.

Medical technologist Cynthia Foley preps her microscope as she begins to discuss the opportunities available to women in the medical field as part of Queen of Peace’s Career Day 2008 on April 16. 

Burbank, IL – April 28, 2008 – Opportunity and choice crowded the halls and classrooms of Queen of Peace High School on April 16. During the school’s annual Career Day, over 45 professionals ranging from engineers, to pastry chefs, to doctors, to artists, to business women, and teachers shared their time and expertise with Peace students. In addition to perusing the tables and asking representatives questions, Peace juniors also enjoyed career panel discussions on the arts, business, medicine and technology. One of the most popular panels included members of Peace’s Women in Science and Engineering Alum Association.

Computer engineer Donna Gailus ’77 and electrical engineers Diane Piszczor-Rink ’92, Kelly McCann ’83, and Susan Brauer ’66 discussed their educational background, the types of classes students need to take, and the benefits of working as engineers. The idea of open opportunities and having the ability to choose where one wants to work, how one wants to work, and what one even wears to work are just some of the benefits of being a woman engineer.

“Businesses respect people with engineering degrees. It’s definitely not easy and you might miss out on some fun in college, but it’s all worth it. I have an engineering degree, but I get to work in communications for BP and make a top-dollar engineer’s salary,” Piszczor-Rink told students.

Speaking passionately on her unconventional road into engineering, Susan Brauer, an electrical engineer for Motorola, opened with some background about herself. As a poor homemaker struggling to feed her six children, she and her husband decided that she needed to be able to make more than minimum wage. At age 35, she decided to pursue schooling and a career in electrical engineering.

“After scoring a 99% on a math test and beating most of the boys, my junior college career counselor encouraged me to go into a field not traditionally for women at the time,” Brauer commented.

Throughout her presentation, Brauer challenged the young women of Peace. She spoke of the power gained through working as an engineer.

“As women, we do not have to choose either careers in technical fields or careers in caretaking fields. I challenge you to be a caretaker of the environment, of animals, and of

people by becoming an engineer. Every time-saving, energy-saving, life-saving device in your lives – even medications – are touched by engineers,” Brauer stated.

“As engineers, we use knowledge for practical application. Like me, you too, can create and supply the life-saving tools and equipment that hospitals, paramedics, and police departments need,” Brauer told students.

Throughout the day, students explored a vast variety of career opportunities and the education needed to obtain a job in a particular field. If there was one truism that students took home with them, it was that they can help others in the community, make the world a better place and follow their passions all the while becoming strong, professional women.

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