Building connections and continuous learning are key to industrial engineering alum’s success

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—When Margean Gladysz, B.S.E.’75, started her path to becoming the first woman to graduate from WMU’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, she was among a very small percentage of women in the United States pursuing an education and career in an engineering field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women made up just 2% of the engineering workforce in the United States at the time. By 2023, that number had risen to 15%.

Today, 22% of the students in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences are women, and Gladysz is cheering them on through her support of the WMU Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

“Thanks to Margean’s generous contribution, there is a possibility we can take 10 members to the SWE annual national conference instead of just the e-board, which has not happened in a while,” says Aya Zahreddine, WMU SWE president and industrial and entrepreneurial engineering student.

With 50 years of career experience since her time at WMU, Gladysz is inspired by today’s young engineers and the possibilities that await them.

“Any career path these days needs a flexible outlook to stay relevant,” says Gladysz. “STEM careers are foundational to our economy. They usually offer higher starting salaries plus opportunities to be creative and collaborative—acknowledged strengths of most women. Many women have entrepreneurial success thanks to their STEM training. I find these to be very exciting possibilities.” 

Gladysz found success and continued growth in her career through building connections and establishing relationships. She began her career in the aerospace industry, where she spent 23 years working in a variety of different roles at Bendix Corporation, which merged into Allied Signal and finally Honeywell International. Starting out in South Bend, Indiana, and eventually completing an MBA at Indiana University, Gladysz moved to Florida, then to Washington, D.C. and took on the role of senior strategic planner for the company, a role that required high security clearance.

Gladysz spent the remainder of her engineering career in New Jersey. The connections made during her corporate career led to her appointment as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism for the state of New Jersey. From there, Gladysz moved into nonprofit management and consulting, first serving in senior leadership positions with the New York-based National Executive Service Corps. That is when Gladysz’s entrepreneurial goals led her to start her own business.

“After 13 years, I started my own nonprofit consulting practice, utilizing experiences from that organization and with being president or board chair of two professional organizations (including a WMU engineering student chapter), the WMU Alumni Association, a YMCA and the NJ Center for Nonprofits,” says Gladysz.

A colleague from the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits recommended her for a teaching role. With her years of career and nonprofit board leadership experiences, Gladysz taught graduate courses in nonprofit management and volunteer management at Seton Hall University and courses in nonprofit management at Brookdale Community College.

Gladysz’s broad experience led to a long career spanning diverse industries, but she attributes her undergraduate engineering education at WMU as the foundation for her success.

“Besides giving me a solid theoretical framework, my professors at the time had either a Ph.D. or years of outside industrial experience. They would often say, ‘but in the real world …’ and give examples of how you may have to adapt to less than ideal situations or what to do if you hit a roadblock on a project. That adaptability encouraged creativity that has served me well,” she says.

Gladysz looks back on her career journey and has advice for young Broncos who are preparing to graduate and start their careers.

“Learning to be both a good team member and team leader is a key success factor today,” she says. “Learning doesn’t stop with graduation. To stay relevant, take advantage of company-provided or external training opportunities and certifications. Always ‘look around the bend’ at articles, etc., or for information and trends that may not necessarily pertain to your specialty. You might glean new ideas that may spark creativity and enhance your current work.”

We are honored to have Gladysz as our 2025 Spire Award recipient for WMU’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The Spire Award is given to one outstanding alum each year who represents the best of the best. 

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