Continue to be curious about technology.
Hey there!
My name is Cheryl and I live in Tulsa, OK and attended Tulsa Public Schools. I went to John Paul Jones Elementary, Whitney Junior High and graduated from Nathan Hale High School. I graduated 13th in my class of 576 students. I was a daughter of a Tulsa Police officer and had three older brothers and a mother who worked in the home. When I wanted to go to college, my parents didn’t have the money to send me. My older brothers had gone to a Junior college, a technical school, and one went into the Marine Corp. No one had figured out how to pay for a four-year college. My high-school counselor had told me that I would be a great Mother like my own, but I always wanted more for my life. I wanted to be independent from needing family or friends to help me live a wonderful life.
At the age of 18, I married and my Dad said that I needed to get a good job to support myself. He recommended working for the US Post Office or Southwestern Bell Telephone (AT&T). I went to Southwestern Bell, took a test, and they placed me in their office inputting customer orders for telephone service into a new computer system they had just set up. That was the beginning of 43 years working in this industry. I have worked hard and continued to be curious about technology - always raising my hand to volunteer to take on new work.
I have seen technology drive change in this world. I worked at AT&T when wireless telephones were introduced to families as a way to stay in touch. Can you imagine how interesting it was to determine how wireless voice usage and text messages were captured off of cell towers, rated, and an invoice created? I wanted to know all the details of how this was happening. When my leader asked if I wanted to know how to set up a wireless tower and understand the technology behind setting up a wireless network, I raised my hand. When my leader asked if I wanted to understand how to collect the data off the towers and provide meaningful information to leaders about customers' needs, I raised my hand. Curiosity and the energy to want more will drive you forward throughout your life. You have to find what the driving force is to get you moving!
Words of wisdom as you start your journey:
Work hard - don’t let others' ideas of who you are influence how you shine!
Love others as you would love yourself!
Your teachers only want the best for you - use them to help you be successful!
Stay curious - learn, learn, learn!!!
Thank you for letting me reach out to you!
Cheryl
