Introduction to the Journey and Early Influences
- The story begins with the acknowledgment of having ideas and the importance of courage, experimentation, and perseverance to create breakthroughs, which is a crucial lesson that started in freshman year of high school 10s.
- The journey started in 8th grade with participation in the Eagle Manufacturing program at Brown County Middle School, where the role was graphics manager, working with Adobe, creating CAD designs, and emailing customers 2m6s.
- The interest in Eagle Manufacturing stemmed from an older sister's participation in the program, and it led to choosing a pathway in high school, with the goal of joining Eagle, which was seen as a ticket to exploring business management and creativity 2m6s.
- In freshman year, the business class was taken, and although the specifics of the class are not remembered, watching Shark Tank every Friday is recalled, which eventually led to joining Eagle Manufacturing through a QR code application process 2m6s.
Application and Acceptance into Eagle Manufacturing
- The application process involved scanning a QR code, filling out a form, creating a resume, and waiting for an interview, which resulted in meeting close mentors and advisors, and ultimately receiving an acceptance email to join Eagle Manufacturing by the end of freshman year 2m6s.
- The acceptance into Eagle Manufacturing came with the opportunity to join a summer internship, where positions were assigned in the newly built manufacturing lab, and the experience marked the beginning of a significant journey 2m6s.
Elsie's Role and Initial Growth in Eagle Manufacturing
- Elsie Lambert was assigned the role of sales manager, which was unexpected and intimidating, especially considering she was a shy and quiet freshman at the time, and this experience marked the beginning of her growth and development 10s.
- Over the next three years, Elsie gave countless presentations at Upland's conferences, led facility tours, and made mistakes, but through these experiences, she learned valuable skills such as responsibility, communication, and perseverance 2m6s.
Leadership Development and Educational Realizations
- By her junior year, Elsie was training new students, and as a senior, she was teaching others everything she had learned, which was a rewarding experience for her, and she discovered a gap in the education system where Indiana only has one college that offers technology education as a major 2m6s.
- Elsie realized that Purdue was her only direct pathway to a career in technology education, which made her aware of the limited options for future technology educators, and she aims to help expand technology education majors at colleges across Indiana 2m6s.
Future Goals and the Impact of the Eagle Program
- Elsie's goal is to create clear and accessible pathways for future technology educators, and she believes that not having a clear path doesn't mean stopping, but rather building one, and she hopes to be part of a program that gives students opportunities to discover their passion and purpose 2m6s.
- The Eagle program has had a profound impact on Elsie, teaching her curiosity, confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of direction, and has given her real responsibility and opportunities, and as she prepares for college, she is ready to turn her blueprint into a breakthrough 2m6s.
