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Insights > National Engineers Week Spotlight: FitzPatrick's Yolanda Mitchell
National Engineers Week Spotlight: FitzPatrick's Yolanda Mitchell
02/21/2016
Entergy is proud to participate in National Engineers Week – a week dedicated to celebrating how engineers make a difference in our world as well as educating others about the engineering field.
Each day this week, an Entergy engineer will share a glimpse into their profession and why they love what they do.
You can help us celebrate National Engineers Week by sharing these stories on your social channels to help raise awareness and promote recognition of the field to encourage a diverse and vigorous workforce among future engineers.
Our first employee spotlight is Yolanda Mitchell.
She is an engineering fix it now engineer with James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant. She's been an engineer for two and a half years and is a graduate of Syracuse University's College of Engineering. She resides in central New York with her husband and children.
Why she became an engineer
I became an engineer because of my uncle. He was the smartest, most creative individual I knew – and he was also an engineer. I’ve stayed engaged in engineering because it is an ever changing field that never becomes static. As engineers, we have great opportunities to impact our world through change and innovation. One of my favorite engineering quotes from Theodore Von Karman sums it up best: “Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.”
She began her career at Entergy
My career began at FitzPatrick as a design engineer. I was responsible for designing and implementing modifications to the plant as needed.
She takes her role seriously
Nuclear power is made through a series of structures, systems and components. Engineers are responsible for overseeing these SSC’s in various capacities.
Design engineers carefully design and implement plant modifications or installations based on SSC parameters and design and licensing bases to ensure safe and efficient plant operation.
System engineers maintain and oversee SSC health and safe operation through system walk downs, preventative maintenance and other tasks.
The best part about her job
The best part of my job is the opportunity to continue to grow and learn from new encounters and experiences. I also work with a great team of individuals.
