NSBE - Convention 2014 - (Page 10)

Nehemiah Stephens of GE Healthcare Imagination at Work By Cindy Atoji D esign engineer Nehemiah Stephens is proud to be an integral part of GE Healthcare, creating transformational medical technologies. "I believe I'm helping to shape a new age of patient care," says Stephens, 23, who looks and sounds like a seasoned veteran of this Fortune 500 company but is actually a bright up-and-coming recent college graduate. He's part of a young group of GE leaders called "the Edisons." These GE engineers headline the Edison Engineering Development Program, an initiative that enables innovators like Stephens to gain real-world experience through intensive technical training and a variety of challenging assignments. Stephens says he thoroughly enjoys applying his abilities to a variety of engineering projects driven by real GE business priorities. "We are working to develop cutting-edge technology in healthcare, whether it's in nuclear medicine, critical care, medical diagnostic imag- the opportunity, he was amazed by how GE truly exemplified "Imagination at Work," in fields from aviation to power, energy management, oil and gas, capital, appliances and, of course, lighting. But he was especially taken with GE Healthcare. "My grandmother had passed away 10 years ago from cancer. When I saw the way GE was helping to make healthcare more efficient and cost-effective, I knew this is where I wanted to make a difference in the world," says Stephens about the $18-billion unit, which employs more than 52,000 persons worldwide and serves healthcare professionals in more than 100 countries. For Stephens, however, the best part about GE is the culture, which gives employees the chance to exercise responsibility, creativity and integrity while growing not just professionally but also personally. Once recruited by GE, he is a recruiter himself for the company today, finding talented NSBE members and encouraging them to consider a career with his employer. He finds solidarity and camaraderie in GE's African American Forum, which strengthens ties through professional development and networking. And as he works with a mentoring program at the Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee, Wis., he finds himself constantly encouraging at-risk students, telling them, "You can make it if you put your best foot forward." It reminds him of his troubled hometown, Forrest City, Ark., where crime and gang violence were commonplace and educational achievement was not. "It's appropriate that GE works on things that matter," says Stephens. "It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get where I am today, and now I continue to find solutions for tough challenges." The ongoing joke at work is the catchphrase "find Nemo," the nickname by which Nehemiah is known. But Stephens says his own search is over: "I've found myself at GE in more than one way." ■ "When I saw the way GE was helping to make healthcare more efficient and cost-effective, I knew this is where I wanted to make a difference in the world." ing, ultrasound, molecular imaging or surgical navigation systems," says Stephens, who also interned at GE for two summers before being hired by the company full time, two years ago. Stephens, who has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arkansas, first heard about GE through an initiative dedicated to helping students make the transition from college to the corporate world. A friend urged him to apply to attend a GE leadership forum, but Stephens admits he was initially reluctant. "I don't want to work for a company that makes light bulbs," he first said. But when he looked into 10 * NSBE MAGAZINE * C ONVENTION 2014 www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Convention 2014

Table of Contents

NSBE - Convention 2014