The Society of Women Engineers recognizes two Cummins leaders for excellence in the engineering field

In this Q&A, Jennifer Rumsey, President of Cummins’ Components business segment, and Katie Clingenpeel, Cummins’ Global Service Engineering Leader - B Platform, share insight into their recent awards from The Society of Women Engineers (SWE). SWE recently announced the recipients of its annual awards program, a nod to the industry leaders who are making significant contributions to the STEM community and the advancement of women in engineering. 

Rumsey was awarded the Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award, which is given to women that have made an outstanding contribution in the field of engineering and/or technical management, contributed to the decision making of the company and created a nurturing environment for other women in the workplace. In addition to being a keynote speaker at this year’s WE20 Virtual Conference, Rumsey was also featured on SWE’s Diversity Podcast discussing her career and views on empowering women in the engineering field. 

Clingenpeel was recognized with an Emerging Leader Award, which honors individuals who have been actively engaged in an engineering or technology profession and have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills as an individual resulting in significant accomplishments.

Q: Jennifer, the Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award recognizes women that have led their organizations in technical leadership. What technical changes would you like to see in the future at Cummins and in the industry?

Rumsey: Two of the things that have always excited me about working at Cummins are the opportunity to work on interesting and complex products and being a part of a company that’s committed to providing leading products to our customers and making a positive difference to the environment. In my current role, I focus on leading the Components business into the future. The automotive and industrial landscape is continuing to change and we are focused on helping our customers address future CO2 and NOx challenges. Our business is also committed to developing integrated components that provide value across the powertrain for our customers. 

Q: Katie, what advice would you give to young engineers who are looking to make an impact in their organization or industry?

Clingenpeel: Never act as if work is beneath you. Engineering is an innovative profession, but we all have responsibilities that may seem mundane at times. Look for opportunities to add value and take on tasks that others tend to avoid or complain about. Those who work hard each day with a positive attitude are the ones who are awarded with the most exciting and impactful opportunities over time. 

Q: Jennifer, how can the engineering industry create a more diverse and inclusive environment for women and minorities? 

Rumsey: Cummins is actively engaged in strengthening our diversity and inclusion core value. We believe diversity and inclusion are both critical for innovation, winning in the marketplace and creating a sustainable future. Being a woman in the engineering field, I have experienced conscious and unconscious bias throughout my career. I am highly motivated to work through these biases to create meaningful change. One way I have approached these biases is through open communication and finding a support network through professional organizations and Cummins’ Employee Resource Groups (ERG). ERG’s are employee-led teams that champion a diverse and inclusive workplace aligned with our mission, vision and values. For me, the Cummins’ Women Empowerment ERG and Society of Women Engineers were influential in my own personal development and growth during my career.  

Cummins is also taking a leading role in driving racial equity and leading with our values to create more inclusive communities. This is an area where I have more to learn, but I am proud to be on this journey that seeks to dismantle institutional racism and create systemic equity.

Q: Katie, what do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing young women engineers today?

Clingenpeel: There has never been a better time to be a woman engineer! Companies are eager to hire women into technical roles, and organizations like SWE are available to support our development. At Cummins, I have been able to balance my family life with my work responsibilities. We have a generous parental leave policy and industry-leading nursing mother’s support. I feel blessed to be a wife, mother and engineer, and I hope more young ladies will consider a career in engineering. 
 
Congratulations to Jennifer and Katie on this well-deserved recognition. You can read more about the Society of Women Engineers and this year’s award recipients here.