Frances Walker

A trailblazer in her field, Francis Walker is supporting students as they forge their own paths by securing charitable gift annuities with Berea College. Her designated gift will benefit the current capital campaign to construct two future-focused buildings that, when complete, will harness the power of computer science, digital media and information technology, and applied engineering and design.

Graduating in 1956 with a civil engineering degree earned at the University of Arizona, Frances was the only woman in her engineering classes as she began her undergraduate studies. By the time she was a senior there were a few women taking electrical engineering courses. This did not dissuade Frances from pursuing a civil engineering degree.

During her senior year she was interested in applying for the opportunity to interview with companies that were visiting campus. When registering she purposefully used only her initials to give herself an opportunity in the male-dominated workspace. Frances shared that upon arrival the interviewer told her he would not take the time to interview her because he would not hire a female engineer. This did not stop Frances.

An upcoming project with the local highway department created the Engineer in Training program because of a need for more engineers. As a student member of her university's chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Frances vocalized her interest in applying for the educational program. Again, she was met with resistance and informed that the program was designed for men.

Rather than falter on her desire to become a civil engineer in a male-dominated workspace, she took obstacles as a challenge. Frances said there were many naysayers who encouraged her to not go into the field and shared that thought with her mother also. Her mother simply said, 'Well, that's her choice,' according to Frances.

Frances persevered through all the obstacles and became the first female engineer hired by the Arizona State Highway Department. Another point of pride was her induction into the University of Arizona's Engineering Hall of Fame.

She went to college with the goal of supporting her siblings and her mother and believes she may have helped pave the way for her siblings' collective successes by never taking "No" for an answer and persevering as a trailblazer in her field.

Her advice to current female science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students at this time would be to, "Keep going. Persevere. Don't take 'No' for an answer." She also advises, "Once you do get the career going, always train your successor." She encourages today's emerging leaders to show that they can step in and go to the next level and climb the ladder. "And with technology, they have to keep up because it's changing so rapidly. Every chance they get, they should really keep up with their field."

Frances first learned about Berea College through a mailing. The fact that it is a working college was something that appealed to her. She began supporting the College and its students with annual gifts, and when she became aware of the College's charitable gift annuity program she thought, "Well, you know, that would help out some kids and I would get some income as well."

Frances appreciates that her gift can help someone graduate with little to no debt while obtaining a college education and, "it's also going to help keep them from having to worry," she said.

Frances has four charitable gift annuities with Berea College, and the remainder of all are designated for the Tech Excellence Fund, which will support required maintenance of the new technology buildings on campus. These spaces will help prepare the next generation of technology thinkers, makers and innovators.

For more information about this capital campaign, visit berea.edu. For more information about the College's charitable gift annuity program, visit berea.giftlegacy.com or call 800-457-9846.