![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/files\/2019\/02\/Kari-Body-Photo-2.jpg\")
<\/a>Kari at Boeing, Portland.<\/p><\/div>\n
Kari entered the workforce directly after graduating and hasn\u2019t slowed down since. \u201cIt took me a few years after college to transition to adulthood,\u201d Kari says, “but once you embrace it, you\u2019ll love it and the Honors College prepares you well for your career.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Kari works for Boeing in Portland, OR as a manager within their Quality Department. She first started at the company as an engineering intern during her MECOP<\/a> experience; later, following her graduation from Oregon State, she was hired as a project manager. After four years as a project manager, Kari took her current position.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kari Parker<\/p><\/div>\n At present, however, Kari is serving in a temporary assignment as a First Line Leader. In the role, she directly manages and oversees 15 other employees \u2013 each of whom works to inspect parts processed in their facility. \u201cMy role is not just one of a manager,\u201d Kari explains, \u201cbut I also do a lot of coaching and employee development with the inspectors.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kari worked as an Honors College Ambassador<\/a> and office assistant during her time at Oregon State; there, she learned skills that she continues to apply in her professional life. \u201cMy favorite thing about being in the Honors College was working in the office. I really appreciated the opportunity to be an ambassador and meet with prospective students, and I learned a lot about an office environment that prepared me to be a professional in my current career,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cUnderstanding different communication styles among coworkers and the ability to listen are key to success in the professional world,\u201d Kari explains. \u201cThe classroom alone does not prepare you well for these types of experiences, but an office, retail, or service job will help you begin honing those interpersonal skills. These are vital to success, especially in a technical field!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In her honors thesis, S(He)<\/a><\/em>, Kari wrote and proposed a comedic monologue as a method to raise awareness of current issues and challenges faced by women in STEM, drawing inspiration from both her own experiences and the experiences of others. Kari\u2019s personal background in engineering highlighted the lack of equal representation between men and women in the field; she noted several causes within her thesis, including overly masculine cultures within technical industries, inherent biases among both male and female university faculty, and subtle microaggressions within the workforce, among others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kari and her team at Boeing Leadership Conference.<\/p><\/div>\n Although Kari still experiences and witnesses many of these issues in her daily life, she appreciates the steps that Boeing has taken to address them. \u201cSexism is this pervasive issue that I deal with on almost a daily basis,\u201d Kari explains. \u201cHowever, our culture has come a long way here at Boeing Portland, and we have a newly formed group of Boeing Women in Aviation Manufacturing and another group called Boeing Women in Leadership that is aiding in the conversations with our leaders as to how the culture is and how we can take steps to change it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Outside of work, Kari continues to pursue further education, along with enjoying a wide variety of hobbies and interests \u2013 many of which relate to her career.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRight now most of my time outside of work is taken up by studying for my MBA,\u201d Kari explains. \u201cIt\u2019s fun to be back in a learning environment with other incredibly intelligent leaders of diverse companies. I am also the founder and leader of the #bossbabesbookclub, which is a book club for professional females in Portland who want to dive deeper into mindfulness leadership techniques.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI am still super<\/em> close with a few of my honors and OSU friends,\u201d Kari says. \u201cFreshman year I was in a room with not one other, not two other, but three other women<\/em>! First of all, this should be illegal,\u201d Kari laughs. \u201cBut sometimes in the difficult times you make the greatest friends. [Being] in the honors dorm, we were all going through similar stresses with similar academic goals and it was a bonding experience like no other. We still have \u20185th floor fam bam\u2019 get-togethers every once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even with her many work, family, and personal commitments, Kari still finds time to get out and serve in her community. \u201cI am extremely passionate about our community here in PDX, especially the homeless and underserved members of our society,\u201d she explains. \u201cI have had many amazing opportunities to volunteer at Night Strike, an event by Because People Matter<\/a>, where we serve food, distribute clothes, and hang out with the homeless on Thursday nights underneath the Burnside Bridge. This event has taught me how every human, no matter their background or status, just wants to be loved and feel connected.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd if I have time beyond that for a quiet moment to myself, you can probably find me at one of the many cozy wine bars or breweries around town, writing poetry or chatting with friends. I\u2019m not busy at all,\u201d Kari laughs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>