MSU names Michael Extraordinary Ordinary Woman and Mentor of the Year

BOZEMAN – Swan Valley's Helene Michael was among the first 125 "Extraordinary Ordinary Women" selected by Montana State University for their leadership, problem solving and innovation throughout the university's history. This recognition fell on the heels of Michael also being named the Bobcat Mentor of the Year earlier this summer.

Michael earned her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering technology from MSU in 1985 from which she launched a successful career at Boeing. After serving in various positions at the company, including manufacturing engineer, engineering supervisor and factory supervisor, she was named vice president of 737 manufacturing operations. She taught Boeing first line and second level manager classes, sharing and leading by example as an engineer as well as a Senior manager throughout her 25 years at Boeing.

Michael has contributed to MSU's Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering's Advisory Council since 2007 and has been involved with MSU's Women in Engineering student chapter. She was a Women in Engineering Keynote speaking in 2005 and in 2011.

In 2013, MSU awarded Michael an honorary doctorate in engineering. She was also a part of the inaugural class of mentors in the MSU Mentoring Program that started in 2013. She joined the MSU Alumni Foundation board of governors and the building committee for the Norm Asbjornson Innovation Center in 2014.

Bobcat Mentor of the Year

This past August Michael was selected from 50 mentors across all disciplines as the 2018 Bobcat Mentor of the Year for her ongoing work with students attending Montana State University, providing, guidance, work place insight and tours of the Boeing Manufacturing Plants in Renton and Everett, Wash. The award recognized her outstanding leadership and tireless efforts to help MSU cultivate lifelong relationships and secure private support to advance the University.

Michael has mentored four students throughout their junior and senior years. She meets with her mentee once a month either in person or via Skype. They discuss topics like interviewing skills, writing resumes, working with difficult people, expectations in the workforce, internships, financials including retirement funds and saving opportunities and other topics the mentee brings to the discussion.

"The world is big out there. I want to give students the perspective of what they can expect when they go into the workforce," said Michael.

Michael said that while the students each get something different out of the mentorship, she loves when her mentee picks a topic that is "anything I need to know." She remembered a great conversation about how students operate now versus in 1980s and in the world.

"It's such high pressure, it is so many tests, so condensed, that they go for the short cut. We all do this as humans," said Michael. "The quickest, fastest, easiest avenue to get good grades, not necessarily to learn. That was very educational for me."

These are the conversations that Michael brings back to the advisory council as thinking points – the amount of pressure on students, the access to tests and how students learn.

"I do it to help the individuals be successful in the world, especially Montana students," said Michael. "Montana students are hard working, they are problem solvers and they have good manners."

In addition to helping the students, Michael wants to help MSU offer students the best education that they can get.

"My whole career I've tried to help people be successful," said Michael. "If you're successful that will in turn make me successful and the company successful. The more you learn and grown, the more the company will learn and grow. It is kind of the big picture."

Michael has helped develop an interdisciplinary curriculum at MSU so engineer students understand finance, welding and machining. The intent is to give students a foundational understanding so when they design something, it can actually be built.

"We have influenced the classes and curriculum over the years so when students graduate and we hire them, [the industry] doesn't have to start from scratch," said Michael.

"As a mentor, Helene receives nothing but high praise from her student mentees. This is because she sees each of them as unique individuals with a different set of needs and expectations," read the Bobcat Mentor Award online. "Mentors like Helene change students' lives."

Extraordinary Ordinary Women of MSU

The 125 "Extraordinary Ordinary Women" who impacted MSU were selected this summer by the MSU President's Commission on the Status of University Women from more than 400 nominations submitted by the public. This is part of the university's yearlong quasquicentennial celebration.

"This list, which is not exhaustive, demonstrates how the pivotal contributions of scores of brilliant MSU women made Montana State the dynamic university it is today. It should also give us inspiration and hope for the future about how the daughters of the land-grant university in the future will excel in everything they do," MSU President Waded Cruzado said in a press release.

Kelly Gorham, the Director of Visual Media, University Communications, nominated Michael. He produced a short biographical video about Michael that was shown at commencement when she received her honorary doctorate in 2013.

"I was humbled at that time by your achievements, dedication to your profession and dedication to students at MSU," wrote Gorham in an email to Michael. "I believe this is a wonderful opportunity to recognize alumni like you who make Montana State University a premier institution and pave the way for generations of future engineers and scientists."

Michael along with the other honorees were honored at a private reception Nov. 2 along with their immediate family and friends. They were also introduced at MSU's home football game on Nov. 3 against Cal Poly and recognized for their contributions in developing and supporting future women leaders.

Michael thinks that honorees serve as great role models and inspire and demonstrate the path forward for all MSU students.

"Most of us have humble, regular beginnings, with sometimes big dreams, and with hard work and motivation great things can be achieved for yourself, your company, your state, your country and even the world if you follow your passion and are lucky enough to have a mentor or role model helping you along the way," said Michael. "The 'Extraordinary Ordinary Women of MSU' award is a way to share their individual stories so others can create their own path and story to be told in the future."

Michael said she would not have been able to achieve her dreams without the support and encouragement from her family growing up, her husband Tom of the past 30 years, and key mentors throughout her 25-year Boeing career.

"It's been a joyful and very fortunate journey where every day was a new day and a new opportunity to help myself and others be successful," said Michael. "Not every day is easy, or fun, or successful, but every day you learn something new, either from your own mistakes or from others successes. It is a journey!"

Michael continued, "It is an incredible honor to be one out of 125 successful and influential women who have graduated from Montana State University and had meaningful careers while helping others be successful and helping them see their own potential and the enormous possibilities. It is very rewarding and very much appreciated to be part of this initial group of MSU women."