Joan Robinson-Berry ('82, Engineering Technology)

Joan Robinson-Berry

Vice President, Supplier Management, Shared Services Group, The Boeing Company

BS Engineering Technology, Cal Poly Pomona, 1982

MS Engineering Management, West Coast University, 1991

Joan Robinson-Berry’s inspiration to become an engineer began in high school, where a classmate encouraged her to study engineering. Although her high school counselor discouraged her from pursuing such technical fields, she met a Cal Poly Pomona counselor who took note of her abilities in science and mathematics and urged her to not only attend Cal Poly Pomona but also pursue engineering.

The university’s hands-on approach was a good fit for Joan. College was initially intimidating—she was unfamiliar with shop tools and sometimes felt isolated as one of the few women in the program.

Overcoming these hurdles, Joan became one of the first African-American women in her community to graduate with an engineering degree, and one of the few minority women in the nation to be an associate fellow with the Aerospace Industries of America.

Today, Joan is a vice president at The Boeing Company and an advocate for diversity in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Joan’s advises students to be courageous. “There will be times when you will feel thwarted. Don’t give others power by quitting. Stay the course and learn how your skills as an engineer can help improve the world around you.”