Erica Bovee, a sophomore at Northeast Community College, was named one of the Top 50 Female Student Leaders in the Construction and Engineering Industry in North America by Kiewit Corporation in Omaha.
She was selected for this honor after being invited to attend the 4th Annual Women’s Construction Leadership Seminar November 10th and 11th in Omaha. After being selected Bovee had to go through an application process with different applicants from the construction and engineering industry throughout North America.
Bovee along with her husband, Christopher and their four children live in Bancroft. She is majoring in industrial facility drafting and attends Northeast classes at the South Sioux City College Center. After earning her associate of applied science degree from Northeast, she plants to attend Wayne State College and earn her bachelor’s degree in construction management.
She mentioned that she was always interested with construction and drafting in high school. While working towards getting her associate’s degree, Bovee had some work experience at Kiewit Engineering in Omaha. She worked as a computer-assisted drafting technician.
Bovee also said that she has always been interested in construction.
At the Seminar, Bovee and 49 other female students took a tour of the job site of the TD Ameritrade campus.
She mentioned that she had toured the site in July while working at Kiewit.
“It was interesting to see how far they have come since then,“ she said.
Also at the Seminar, there were several speakers that talked about the challenge of being a women, especially a leader, in the constructive industry.
“I do feel challenged to prove that I, being female, can do any job as well as a man can. In everyday conversation I often hear the fact that I’m walking into a man’s world and I always say, laughing, that I can do anything a man can, only ten times better. Sometimes that comment is followed by a smart alec smile which usually ends the conversation”, she said.
Northeast instructor, Danny Whitlock, was extremely proud when he heard she was honored as one of the Top 50 Female Student Leaders in the Construction and Engineering Industry.
“Erica is a very good student, in spite of juggling the demands of a full-time class load, a large family and nearly a full-time job. She has the intelligence to do the job and picks up on class subject matters well. She can be a very good drafter,” he said.
Erica hoped she would picked as one of the top 50 but didn’t expect to be.
“I came back from the seminar feeling determined. Listening to the speakers talk and share about their personal stories really motivated me. One of my new mottos is, from the words of Lauren Evans, “If you want it, go get it!” Erica said.