A small part of history.

She was one of only a few women in the electrical technology program at her school, but that didn't deter Cassie Leidholm from becoming a leader.

She grew up on a farm in central North Dakota and went on to become the first woman president. She is not named Hillary or Condoleezza, and she didn't become president of the United States, but Cassie Leidholm made history in her own way when she became president of the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) electrical club. She was the first woman president in the club's 79-year history.

It should be noted that this is not a small club. According to Jerry Brackin, an associate professor in the electrical technology department at NDSCS, it is the largest one on campus with more than 90 members. Leidholm was one of only three or four women in the electrical technology program. Although she started out studying office administration at NDSCS, she decided working in an electrical career would be much more interesting to her than sitting at a desk.

Leidholm was a straight-A student, says Brackin, who also notes that, as president of the electrical club, "She earned the respect of every male student."

From NDSCS, Leidholm went on to North Dakota State University, where she is now studying electrical engineering, but she still uses her technical skills working over the summer as an electrical apprentice. Her work experience and her technical school education both have benefited her in her present course of study.

"I utilize what I learned in the field and what I learned in school," Leidholm explains.

Her ultimate career goal is to go into drafting, and she is excited at the prospect of planning the electrical design of a building. She has always been more interested in science than English, but she also sees her future career as one that is of service to others. She looks forward to being able to bring forth new and innovative ideas as an electrical engineer.

Although she entered NDSCS without a clear career goal, she now knows the path she wants to take. Leidholm is very glad that she went to technical school and says that she would not do it any differently, even knowing what she now knows.

"I still would want to get a degree first at a technical school," she states.

She sees the technical skills she acquired there as a valuable part of her future success--something that has served her well at the four-year university and will serve her well on the job.

As for other young women who might want to become a president--or at least pursue what is generally considered a nontraditional career path--Leidholm offers this bit of information that she has gained from first-hand experience: "It's not as scary as you would think."

She would also like to advise young women, "You can do anything you want to do. People today are very accepting of women in nontraditional careers."

Jerry Brackin, her former professor at NDSCS, describes Cassie Leidholm as "a prime example of success."

In a field once viewed as an arena for "the big boys," this petite young woman has not let her size or gender stop her from achieving that success.

"Spotlight" focuses on career and technical education success stories. If you have a success story you would like to submit, or if you would like to recommend a student, former student or a colleague to be featured in "Spotlight," please contact Susan Reese at [e-mail], or by telephone at 703-521-7760.