PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Did you know that approximately 25 percent of CEOs are women? Or that 9 percent of nurses are men? Gender stereotypes created by society and gender roles that are instilled in children at a young age have a significant impact on career choice. It’s no wonder that CEOs are predominantly male and a majority of nurses are female.
Contrary to these statistics, several students at NMCC are defying the norm and breaking the mold, pursuing non-traditional careers in which less than 25 percent of the workforce is of one gender.
Heather Copeland is a senior in the business administration program at NMCC. She grew up on a small Christmas tree farm in Mapleton, where she quickly developed a strong work ethic and became a young entrepreneur. From the time she was 10 years old, she worked on the farm trimming trees, making wreaths, managing employees, conducting sleigh rides, and assisting customers. With an interest to someday own the family business, Copeland decided to attend college to receive formal training in business administration.
However, her plans changed when her family decided to close the tree farm last December. As Copeland considered what to do next, she was offered a wonderful opportunity that would allow her to advance with her current employer. She was promoted to manager at the Easton One Stop where she has been working for the past year-and-a-half. She has been co-managing the business since last December, and is looking forward to her new role.
Among her many duties, Copeland will be responsible for operating and maintaining the convenience store, deli, and gas station. She is motivated to grow the business. “I want to make it a more successful business than it already is.” She feels honored to be offered this position at such a young age and after being employed at the store for a short period of time. Copeland feels her customer-service experience and education helped her land the job.
In addition to earning an associate of applied science degree in business administration in May, Copeland plans on returning to NMCC in the fall to complete an associate of applied science degree in accounting. She feels that having both degrees will help her succeed at work. She is confident that the knowledge and skills she has acquired at NMCC will be applicable to her managerial responsibilities. “I am learning new things every day to apply at work.” Copeland enjoys her classes, especially accounting.
Copeland enjoys the customer service aspect of business the most. “I like talking to the customers and making them feel welcome.” She enjoys the one-on-one communication with the patrons and getting to know them. “After a while, you know what the customer wants.”
Even though women in business have become more prevalent in recent years, Copeland feels that some vendors and customers are taken aback when they see women in positions of authority. For example, on the family farm, her mother was “the boss.” According to Copeland, customers assumed that her father was in charge and were surprised to learn that a woman was running the business. Her mother dealt with buyers, wrote contracts, and managed the field crew while her father had a full-time job elsewhere. Copeland saw firsthand that a woman was capable of operating a business.
She believes that women have strengths that can benefit them in the business field. “Women are good at customer service and connecting to customers on an emotional level.” Copeland also states that women work well with vendors and tend to be more understanding if there are issues.
In addition to attending NMCC and working, both full-time, Copeland is also a volunteer firefighter in Easton. She is currently working on her Firefighter I and II certifications. Including Copeland, there are currently three females and 28 males that work as firefighters. For several months, she was the only female in the group. When she started, she made it clear to her male counterparts that she didn’t want to receive special treatment because of her gender.
In the four-and-a-half years that she has worked there, she reports that she has been treated like “one of the guys” and that she is viewed as another firefighter, not as a female. “I work just as hard and have the same training as they do. We are equals.” Her husband is also a firefighter and was the person who encouraged her to become a volunteer.
Copeland chose NMCC not only because it was close to home, but also because both of her parents graduated from the college when it was Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute. Her mother was also a drafting instructor at the college several years ago. Copeland has fond memories of visiting her mother at NMCC when she was a child.
Also, Copeland was the lucky recipient of the alumni full-tuition raffle not once, but two years in a row. She won 15 credit hours for two semesters in each of the two years. Friends of her family bought the raffle tickets and designated Copeland as the recipient. This significantly influenced her decision to return to NMCC to earn a second degree.
She offers advice for females who may be considering a career in business. “You can do it. The idea that business is a man’s job is not true. Anyone can have a business mind.”
Copeland shares her secrets to academic success. “Work hard and put effort into everything you do. If you only put half the effort in, you will only get half the result.”
