Jo Ann Soderquist Kramer advises Tusculum College graduates on becoming leaders

Jo Ann Soderquist Kramer, the first woman to receive a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the  University of Virginia, was the keynote speaker at the Tusculum College May Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9.

Kramer earned the aerospace engineering degree from The University of Virginia in 1967, making her the first female from UVA to earn any type of degree in engineering. She holds an undergraduate degree from Sweet Briar College, where she majored in physics.

Kramer’s mother, Mabel F. Soderquist, is a 1937 graduate of Tusculum College. Kramer also took several courses at Tusculum College.

During her time at UVA, Kramer was the only female in the engineering department, but said she always felt confident and prepared because of her undergraduate experience at a liberal arts college.

JoAnn Soderquist Kramer, the first woman to receive a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, advised Tusculum College graduates on becoming leaders at Spring Commencement Ceremonies on Saturday.

“I was treated with a great deal of respect,” she said. Adding, “There is nothing like a liberal arts education. If you have that you are able to speak and talk and write, and you will succeed. If you perform well, you will be respected.”

She began her career as an aerospace engineer with Martin Marietta Corp. in Orlando, Fla., then with Lockheed Martin Corp. in Burlington, Vt. She retired in 2011 from her position as director of air and naval defense system programs for General Dynamics Corp. in Burlington.

During her commencement speech, Kramer focused on the key traits that she has admired through the years that were shared by successful leaders. Among those traits were honesty and personal integrity, being able to “cut to the chase” and communicate clearly, the ability to speak and write well, being available and accessible and treating people fairly.

“Nothing is more important than personal integrity,” she said. “You never get a second chance to be trusted and respected.”

She added that while work should be taken seriously, that is not the same as taking oneself seriously. “Enthusiasm and optimism is contagious,” she said. Likewise, she added, negativity and pessimism spreads in the same way.

She encouraged the graduates not to be afraid to make tough, unambiguous decisions that will impact the fate of their organizations and to encourage conflict in order to promote an environment that is open to opposing opinions.

“Embrace change and uncertainty. Use your best judgment and act quickly. Good leaders realize if you ask enough people for permission, you will inevitably find someone to say no.”

Recently, Kramer served on the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors and has been a leading fundraiser for the College. With the school’s recent announcement of its closure, she is heading the efforts of the “Save Sweet Briar College” campaign. She resides in Essex, Vermont.

For the past two months she has put in innumerable hours in the effort to save her alma mater. “We believe we will prevail,” she said. “Sweet Briar alumnae are very passionate.”

She added, “If you go into business – any business – and talk to the leaders, they will tell you that their best performers come from a liberal arts education. All the talk about it being endangered is wrong.”

Kramer is affiliated with Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, the National Defense Industrial Association, and Women in Defense. She has worked on the Board of Directors for Sweet Briar College and the North Country Federal Credit Union, and also served on the Sweet Briar College Alumnae Association Board.