Graduation Year: 
1949

BSCE 1949 - CCE

Jean Richardson was OSU's first woman graduate in Civil Engineering. Her work in advancing the role of women in the field is as noteworthy as her work in engineering itself. Early in her career, Jean worked for a month for free for an Alabama engineering company, just to prove her capabilities. She later owned her own company and became the first woman to head maintenance engineering for the City of Portland. She was one of the founders of the Alabama chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and has been on the 1998-2000 SWE Board of Directors. SWE has honored Ms. Richardson with a national fellowship. She has also been Alabama and Oregon State Coordinator for Mathcounts - a national program targeted at 7th and 8th graders interested in math. She enjoys helping young women and men reach for their dreams.