Women of Turbo
When not working in their respective areas, these ladies are blazing their own paths on Texas A&M’s campus. Want to know who influenced them and advice they have to share? Check out the questions and answers below.
(L-R back) – Catherine Dillier, Jeannie Galindo, Jing Yang, Merrick Smith, Debbie Maggs, Diana Dyer, Martha Barton, Rachel Bolen
Not pictured: Brooke Conrad, Allyson Gonzalez, Erica Petersen, Alana Staudt
Martha Barton
Hometown: TX but Bryan has been home more than 34+ years
Role at the TL: Exhibitor Services Director
Time at the TL: 16 years
Who is your shero?: I don’t have just one. My mother – her strong faith and life of great integrity, my daughter-in-loves – their wonderful mothering skills and love for our sons. All three have me striving to be a better me in all areas of my life.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Keep your focus on the Lord, grow more spiritually, keep on course for loving your family dearly and believe in yourself!
Rachel Bolen
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Role at the TL: Research Assistant, M.S. Student
Time at the TL: Second Semester
Who is your hero?: Margaret Thatcher for her grit, my brother for his adventurous spirit, my mom for her energy and my dad for his disposition.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Thank God in all circumstances; rely on Him for strength. Appreciate and emulate quality craftsmanship. Get excited.
Crystal Carter
Hometown: Hillsborough, NC
Role at the TL: Communications Specialist
Time at the TL: 7 months
Who is your shero?: My Mom, Margaret Snipes Spruill is my shero. She raised us as a young widow after my dad died from a military disability. She was a community leader, church leader and business owner. Mom instilled in me at an early age to love learning, to ask questions, to not be limited by race or gender, and to help others. I learned from her that to whom much is given much is required.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Don’t let fear rob you of the blessings God has for you, and it’s ok to ask for help.
Brooke Conrad
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Role at the TL: Communications Director
Time at the TL: 2 years, 8 months
Who is your shero?: Do I have to pick just one?! No? OK, here are the first two who come to mind: Lenida Spurlock & Kelly Brown. Lenida was my dance director when I was in high school. She pushed me farther than I thought I could ever go, both physically and mentally, and taught me life lessons that were far beyond my years. We’ve kept in touch over time and I’ll never forget this golden nugget of advice (I’m paraphrasing): “Don’t do anything that doesn’t set you on fire. That goes for jobs, romantic relationships, friendships. If it doesn’t spark passion in you, move on.” Kelly was my first real-world boss, my editor at The Bryan College-Station Eagle. She saved me from the cobwebbed corners where wannabe-journalist English majors go to die. She taught me how to write, and has mentored me through career progressions and some really, really tough life changes. She recruited me for the board of the Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), an organization that has made a drastic impact on my life. Thanks to Kelly’s encouragement, I am still involved with SARC today. I am fortunate to call her my friend, mentor and fellow dog lover.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Your value does not come from performance; it’s a function of your character. You are enough, and you are exactly who you need. You are valuable because you are you. Embrace you, embrace your uniqueness and learn to listen to your gut. She knows what’s up.
Catherine Dillier
Hometown: Richardson, TX
Role at the TL: Graduate Research Assistant
Time at the TL: 5 years
Who is your shero?: My shero is my mom, Doreen Dillier. She teaches me the importance of patience and fortitude every day. Her unending hope inspires me to keep pushing, especially when I feel like a failure.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Have more confidence in yourself and your abilities. Just because college is more challenging, it doesn’t mean you are any less gifted. Hang on and you’ll make it through to do great things.
Ashton Drollinger
Hometown: Belton, TX
Role at the TL: Conference Services Director
Time at the TL: 11 years
Who is your shero?: This may sound cheesy, but my mom, Natalie Farber, is definitely my shero. She has raised two strong, independent kids and been a mom/teacher to SO many more all while continuing to better herself in her career and health. I aspire to have her strength and energy every day. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for her kindness, sacrifices, patience, and wisdom.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Rejection is not the end of the world, your ideas are valid, you’re smarter than you feel, and it is okay to sneeze in front of people.
Diana Dyer
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Role at the TL: Undergrad researcher for Dr. Kulatilaka. I work with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy.
Time at the TL: 2 years
Who is your shero?: My Shero is my Aunt Kay. She is an engineer, founder, and CEO of the high school I graduated from, and the woman I am named after. She has shown me that anything is possible when you set your mind to it, and she has been inspiring me for as long as I can remember. Without her, I wouldn’t be who or where I am today.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Trust the process (whatever it may be) and to know that everything will work out as it should. As long as you work hard, it will all be worth it because pursuing your passion is worth every minute of hard classes and stressful days.
Jeannie Galindo
Hometown: Bryan, TX the last 40 years – Born in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Role at the TL: Registrar, business administrator, HR liaison
Time at the TL: With A&M since 2002 at Turbo since February 2014
Who is your?: My hero, my dear mother, Maria Rosa Lujan. She taught me to have faith, to give unconditionally and value life.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Know that I will never know enough.
Allyson Gonzalez
Hometown: Military brat but Lawton Oklahoma
Role at the TL: Student worker on communications team
Time at the TL: 10 months
Who is your shero?: My professor who let me know about the opening here at the TL, Angelique Gammon. She’s been an amazing help throughout my undergraduate career at Texas A&M and has taught me a lot about my field of study. I wouldn’t have learned as much or have been given the opportunities I have now without her.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Be open-minded and accept failures. Just because you get told “no” the first time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again.
Stephanie Hidalgo
Hometown: College Station, TX
Role at the TL: Exhibitor Services Assistant
Time at the TL: 5 years
Who is your shero?: My Mom, Sandy. Being a single mom had difficulties, but there’s not one day that goes by that I don’t see her as my superhero. She doesn’t know all the answers, but to me she is infinitely wise. She has taught me to be a strong woman, a woman who is not afraid to strive and persevere when life gets tough.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Enjoy life and live for today. But most importantly, take a piece of paper. The lottery numbers for March 2011 are…
Marie Kasprzyk
Hometown: Port St. Lucie, Florida
Role at the TL: PhD Graduate Assistant
Time at the TL: 1.5 years
Who is your shero?: My shero is Michelle Guedry, who was my mentor at the Dow Chemical Company. She was a rotating equipment engineer at the time, and taught me about centrifugal compressors, reciprocating compressor, screw pumps, bearings and mechanical seals. She demonstrated to me how to be a strong, confident, engineer and at the same time, how to be kind.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Keep your eyes focused on Jesus Christ. Your relationship with the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is within it, is the most important aspect in life. Your strength and wisdom come from Him.
Debbie Maggs
Hometown: New York
Role at the TL: Extended Short Course and TRC manager
Time at the TL: 9 years and 10 months
Who is your shero?: Alex, my pastors wife. Alex was born with a giant congenital nevus (mole) over 75% of her body that required 28 painful cosmetic surgeries during the first 14 years of her life & 5 more until she was 19 years of age. She endured the pain of rejection from both family and peers because of this, but has not let that define who she is today. Rather she has shown that by the grace of God we can do all things through Christ, even if we aren’t dealt the best hand in life. Her strength and perseverance are a wonderful testimony and encouragement to me as well as all who have the privilege to know her.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Choose your battles wisely, learn which ones are worth fighting and which ones aren’t.
Erica Petersen
Hometown: College Station, TX
Role at the TL: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Time at the TL: 1 year, 10 months
Who is your shero?: My shero is Michelle Obama. I strive everyday to be as poised, kind-hearted, caring and impressionable as she is.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Never let other people’s opinions or expectations of you hinder you from doing your best and pursuing what you’re passionate about.
Merrick Smith
Hometown: Carrollton, TX
Role at the TL: Exhibitor Services Student Assistant
Time at the TL: 1.5 years
Who is your shero?: My mom, Jennifer Smith, who has always been on and by my side. Every day she exemplifies the type of woman I aspire to be. (I also wouldn’t be at Texas A&M if it weren’t for her).
What advice would you give your younger self?: Don’t worry so much, things have a way of turning out just fine.
Alana Staudt
Hometown: Keller, TX
Role at the TL: Conference Services Student Assistant
Time at the TL: 3 years, 2 months
Who is your shero?: Lisa Killian– a very a close friend of mine’s mother. Lisa is the most positive and loving woman to all those around her, even strangers, despite losing her daughter a year and a half ago. She constantly reminds others how sacred life is through everything she does and says. I consider Lisa a close friend, mentor, and second mother.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Always show grace and forgiveness to others, but do not forget to be forgiving of yourself, too.
Lesley Wright
Hometown: Bryan, TX (originally Benton, Arkansas)
Role at the TL: Associate Professor & Jana and Quentin A. Baker ’78 Faculty Fellow
Time at the TL: Currently (6 months); Formerly (5 years: 2001 – 2006)
Who is your shero? I am from a different time and a different place from most of these young ladies. I went through my entire academic career (both undergraduate and graduate), and I remember (1) STEM-related class taught by a female (and it was my last undergraduate math course). Actually, with my first academic position, I was the only female faculty member in the department and the first for that department. While I was a graduate student (TAMU), I was attending a DOE workshop with Dr. Han, and he went out of his way to introduce me to Dr. Karen Thole. While she has moved since then, she is now the Department Head for the Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering Department at Penn State University. At conferences, she would attempt to attend my presentations, and she would always offer encouragement for the work and the presentation. As I began my career, she has always been available. Since I have known her, she has been active in the professional development of young women. I am one of many young engineers she has invested in, and I hope I can follow her example. Also, my family is full of strong women, and I have witnessed with a little work, we can accomplish great things.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Don’t allow the fear of failure to stop you from trying new and different things.
Jing Yang
Hometown: Hubei Province, China
Role at the TL: Post-doctoral Research Associate
Time at the TL: 2 years, 5 months
Who is your shero?: Hanwen Fang (My mother). Her wisdom, diligence, tenacity, and excellent work/life balance inspire me forever.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Focus on what you are doing and be mindful.
Jiaxin (Cynthia) Zhang
Hometown: Zhengzhou, China
Role at the TL: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Time at the TL: 1 year, 2 months
Who is your shero?: Myself; because I’m always the most kind, helpful and patient person to myself.
What advice would you give your younger self?: Be brave and don’t be hesitant