Winds of Change - Summer 2017 - 11

CHERISE JOHN
NAVAJO / GE AVIATION / MECHANICAL ENGINEER

CHRIS NEW/GE

C

herise John can recall
the exact moment that
inspired her to become
an engineer. Growing
up in Fruitland, N.M.,
she lived between two
mine sites and two
coal-fired power
plants, whose pollution created acid rain.
"One day, my childhood preconceptions
of a perfect world were shattered when
my father wouldn't let me drink rainwater from a cup I had set out," John
explains. "My first thought was, 'What
can we do to stop this so I can drink my
rainwater?'"
That fateful childhood moment set
John, Navajo, on the path to becoming an
engineer to help her community. She had
been good at math and understanding
complex systems from a young age, so
engineering was a natural fit. "I had
intelligent, very supportive parents who
taught me and pushed me to get the best
grades possible," John says. Their support
was critical as she began the journey to
achieving her dream career.
John's parents worked at the same
local power plant, and shared a common
interest in how power systems work.
Their commitment to hard work, along
with their mutual passion for power
systems, had a strong influence on John.
"My mother kept me on track with my
homework and set the bar high for me,"
she explains. "My father led by example."
He became a trainer of industrial
processes for incoming recruits at the
plant where he worked, and went on to
teach the subject at San Juan College.
In a sense, John views her own
engineering career as an extension of her
father's work. "My father recently retired,
but he passed the baton to his children,"
she says. Both of John's brothers are
supervisors at power plants, and John
currently works as a mechanical engineer
at GE Aviation.
Throughout school, John was encouraged by those around her to succeed. Her
aises.org

These experiences
high school guidance
gave John more
counselor pushed her
confidence that
to "reach for the
NAVAJO NATION
engineering was what
stars." She applied to
The Navajo Nation's "Just Move
she was meant to do. "I
Dartmouth College,
It" initiative hosts several dozen
noncompetitive runs and walks
felt myself transform
and was accepted.
each year. Over the past 25 years,
through graduate
Once there, she
Just Move It has grown from 482
school," she says. "I felt
continued to
participants in 20 communities to
almost 48,000 participants in 138
as if I had gained access
surround herself with
communities.
into the world of
a supportive network.
mechanical engineering
"At Dartmouth, the
by the time I left."
staff in the Native
Shortly after starting graduate school,
American program and all of my peers
John landed an internship with GE Aviation
inspired, mentored, and welcomed me with
at an AISES National Conference. She was
open arms," John remembers.
then accepted into GE's Edison Engineering
But after returning from a study
Development Program. "In all my schoolabroad program in Italy in December
ing, I was always involved with AISES," John
2008, she was struck by the financial
says. "This community has opened doors
burden that attending Dartmouth had
for me to meet new people who share a
placed on her family. To ease those
common goal."
constraints, John transferred to Northern
Today, she is a mechanical engineer at GE
Arizona University for the spring
working in military thermal system design as
semester. "Once I got to NAU, I realized
an Edison. Her role includes
ensuring engine components
can operate in high-pressure,
high-temperature turbine
parts."I enjoy the challenge
of my job, and having to find
unique solutions," she
explains. "I'm always learning
something new about how
the engine works because it's
such a complicated system."
John's ultimate career
goal is to gain credibility among her peers
that my scholarships would fully support
and establish a strong mentor base so she
me there, which wasn't possible at
can keep learning as much as possible. "I
Dartmouth," she explains. So John
hope that all the knowledge I gain can be
decided to transfer to NAU for good.
taken back home and shared with my
At NAU, she earned her bachelor's
people in some way," she says.
degree in environmental engineering with
John has a bit of advice for students
a minor in mechanical engineering. Then,
who are just getting started: "Engineering
she took on a teaching assistant job while
and other STEM fields are challenging
pursuing her master's in mechanical
journeys, but the amazing things you'll
engineering. "The primary class I taught
learn, and the new doors that will open for
was thermodynamics, and I was also a
you, will make it worthwhile. Because of
teaching assistant for fluid dynamics,"
STEM, I realize the sky isn't my limit -
John explains. She held office hours and
only my imagination."
gave students one-on-one help with
- Stephanie Mann
course subjects.

"I felt myself transform
through graduate school.
I felt as if I had gained
access into the world of
mechanical engineering
by the time I left."

SUMMER 2017 * WINDS OF CHANGE 11
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Winds of Change - Summer 2017

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