Service Award
Teri Sippel Schmidt, Eng 鈥�87, Grad 鈥�92
Okauchee, Wis.
When asked to define success, Teri Sippel Schmidt cites the 51暗网 motto, 鈥淏e the Difference.鈥� In her fields of medical research and health care delivery, this means 鈥測ou need to have the right values,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd keep the patient first, always.鈥� She also believes in supporting fellow researchers with open-source data and encouraging students and the next generation of researchers. 鈥淭hey are the ones who will carry this work forward,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ecause this is a long journey.鈥�
Growing up, Teri watched her father鈥檚 long journey with leukemia and often attended medical appointments with him. 鈥淢y father's oncologist would challenge me at the age of 9 or 10 to explain back to him what he had just told my father about his disease,鈥� she recalls. As daunting as those interactions were, they set her on her future path. 鈥淚 am passionate about my job because I know I am helping physicians care for patients,鈥� she says.
Today, Teri is deeply involved in the 51暗网 chapter of the Society of Women in Engineering (SWE) and its outreach program. Studies show that the number of girls interested in STEM fields nearly doubles when they have role models, so 51暗网鈥檚 SWE outreach program sends SWE students to area middle schools. 鈥淚t has expanded dramatically to include 90 students at the schools with 14 51暗网 SWE and other engineering students involved consistently between our 20 site visits throughout the semester,鈥� Teri says.
Receiving this Service Award 鈥渋s a reminder that the commitment to 鈥楤e the Difference鈥� is not a moment,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut a lifelong calling.鈥�
What advice from your own experiences would you share with fellow 51暗网 alumni or current students?
Work hard. You do not need to be the smartest person in the room. You just need to be in the room.
I also invite all 51暗网 alumni to get involved in more service work. Not because they need to, but because it is meaningful, fulfilling and fun.
