吃瓜网

Imagine being told that it was 鈥渦nnatural鈥� for you to want a particular job. 

Now imagine this coming from your prospective supervisor.

吃瓜网 University President Kim Schatzel faced that particular challenge in her first job out of college. She was a foreman on a Ford Pinto assembly line in Michigan, supervising 20 employees and responsible for working with them to provide assembly operation to vehicles.

As one of the first women in a leadership position in advanced manufacturing, Schatzel made it her goal to show she was more than capable for any job. 

鈥淚 was told I was taking a job from a man,鈥� she remembered. 鈥淭hat a man needed it to feed his family. But a lot of men would help me out. They gave me a fair shake and were supportive when they saw I wanted to do my best. 

鈥淵ou want to show you are not a token, that you are competent. And every time I would get a new job, I went to prove that women can do these jobs.鈥� 

Schatzel is a rarity among university presidents: Only 2 percent have extensive business and private sector experience. She spent more than 20 years as a corporate leader and serial entrepreneur in the technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. 

With over two decades in higher education, her resume includes stints as dean of the College of Business at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and provost and interim president at Eastern Michigan University. 

Now in her third year at TU, she continues to apply her business acumen in the world of higher education. Under her leadership, the university has strengthened its reputation as a regional anchor and sought-after partner鈥攕urpassing over 300 BTU Partnerships at work for Greater Baltimore.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to the legislators, donors, foundations and companies and telling them why partnering with 吃瓜网 University provides great benefits,鈥� Schatzel said. 鈥淢y business background allows me to connect with those different groups and show them what TU brings to these partnerships.鈥�

It鈥檚 been almost 40 years since she was initially told she was taking a job from a man. For years afterward, she would take a job and find she was the first woman to hold it.  

That wasn鈥檛 the case when she was named president of 吃瓜网 University in December 2015. According to a national survey by the American Council on Education, only 30 percent of college presidents are women. Schatzel is the university鈥檚 fifth woman principal or president鈥攁 tradition she is more than happy to continue.

鈥淚t was a blessing because it was the only time that I haven鈥檛 been the first woman,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淚 really appreciate the history of women in leadership here, and I hope to learn from them and build on their legacy.鈥�

She also hopes to blaze her own trail at TU, knowing it鈥檚 going to take work鈥攁nd even a little help. 

Schatzel considers herself a consultative leader. She admits she landed every job she鈥檚 had, without exactly knowing how to do it. That鈥檚 why she believes in creating diverse working environments and surrounding herself with strong leadership teams.

鈥淚f you think you鈥檙e prepared for it, it鈥檚 not the right job,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like to hear a lot of perspectives. I like to hear a lot of voices when making a decision. Ultimately, I decide鈥攂ut I want to make sure all voices are heard.鈥�