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Hi, I'm Rhonda Smitherman-Hickman –Chief
Information Office Lead at the\h Michoud Assembly

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Facility.

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When asked to do this video for Women History
Month I was extremely excited.\h

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I started working at MAF 27 years ago and
could not ask for a better job or better group

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of folks to work with.

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I received a Mathematics and Computer Science
Degree from Southeastern Louisiana University

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back in the 80’s --- My parents bought me
a IBM PC, amber screen with a 300 baud modem.\h

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I thought I was big time – the only one
in my dorm with a computer that could login

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to the mainframe after lab hours.\h

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I can remember my first programming class
and how excited I was to be one of two women

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in a predominately male environment.\h\h

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And walking in to a Calculus 4 class with
and being told that the Algebra class was

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down the hall\h -- “like a girl couldn’t
handle Calc 4”.\h

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All of these experiences challenged me and
prepared me for the work place!\h\h

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\h
I worked for NASA when we introduced the first

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3 com file-servers, used 5 1/4 inch floppies
as external media, programmed the first LAN

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application using dbase, thought 10 Meg Bernoulli’s
the size of text books was the greatest thing

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since sliced bread.\h

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Technology has and is changing at the speed
of light….\h\h

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\h
NASA has always been very supportive of women

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in the work place.\h

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I have personaly experienced this – I have
two young men, Ryan and Rhett that literally

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grew up during my years at MAF – working
for NASA—I had challenges that forced me

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to balance a career and being a mom – in
an office environment with mostly men.

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Before Hurricane Katrina NASA provided an
on-site day care facility.\h

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It allowed me the opportunity to spend more
time with my children – I would eat lunch

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with them once or twice a week.\h

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When they started school they would tell their
classmates and teacher that their mom was

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an astronaut.

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I had to prove myself and my work while worrying
when a child was sick, dealing with homework

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and projects after an exhausting day, planning
dinner, so on and so on – things that others

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in my department did not have to focus on.\h

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As a woman his made me stronger and more determined
than ever!\h

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As women we have many challenges and obstacles
--- God made us very strong – we need to