“I went on to start the HR program at Stryker Corporation and was recruited from there to several Fortune 200 and 500 companies before retiring,” Stewart recalled. “Always be true to yourself; stay focused, and there is no limit to what you can do.”
Stewart was interested in HR originally because she self-identifies as a people person. Her parents were in business, and she was interested in integrating good people and compatible industry to focus on better goods and higher workplace quality. She attended WMU specifically to study this, in a program that was then known as Personnel Management.
When she graduated, Stewart says the industry was very male dominated, “the good ol’ boys club.” She found employment with Stryker, which at the time had only 150 employees in Kalamazoo. Today, Stryker employs more than 27,000 people in over 100 countries worldwide.
“I was very fortunate that the Stryker family was forward focused and had no problem hiring a woman to steer their human resource program.” The program was brand new and didn’t even have a physical space at first, but they were committed and Stewart was able to excel in the position. From Styker, Stewart rose through the ranks in positions at Doubleday Brothers, Jarvis-Pemco, Contec-SPX, Whirlpool, Chardon Rubber, Cook Nuclear, and retired from Westminster Communities of Florida.
Additionally, Stewart has served as an adjunct professor at Lake Michigan College, and as SW Michigan Regional HR Director for the Society for Human Resource Management. She is a Licensed Counseling Professional and has a private practice providing both individual and group counseling. She also holds a Master’s degree from Indiana University-South Bend.
Her advice to current students is simple: Look for financial aid and try to combine ways to work while earning a living. Additionally, “For anyone interested in climbing the ladder, take an assertiveness training class--it's the best class I ever took because your future is dependent on how you speak to others and how they receive you. if you can communicate positively with anyone, your future is bright.”
To submit your story, please visit MyWMU.com/MyStory.