Gitanjli McRoy ’93 lives her life by following advice from her father: “If you can find what you are good at, you are blessed. If you can find what you are good at and you love it, you are truly blessed. Strive to be truly blessed.”

McRoy says she’s truly blessed.

She started her career at Ford Motor Co. as a Co-op student majoring in Electrical Engineering. Now, McRoy is the Chief Engineer of EV Energy Management Systems at Ford and recently learned she’ll receive the Special Recognition Award at the 2023 Women of Color STEM Digital Twin Experience (DTX) Conference in Detroit. The conference is Oct. 12-14.

“I’m so honored that I was nominated and extremely humbled to receive an award,” McRoy said.

Now in its 28th year, the annual Women of Color STEM DTX Conference celebrates outstanding achievements in STEM. McRoy’s team nominated her for the award. A panel of judges evaluated the nominations and selected the winners. 

“Never before in the history of Women of Color has the judging been so difficult. This year’s class of nominees was the largest and strongest we have seen yet,” McRoy’s award letter stated. “Close to half of the 2023 awardees are managers, directors or vice presidents of major organizations. According to the Department of Labor, nearly half of the U.S. workforce is made up of women. Clearly, women around the world are proving they are willing and able to lead the corporations of America. Through your accomplishments and the example you set for other women, you are leading the way to change these circumstances.”

McRoy said she’s always been a proponent of encouraging women to consider a career in STEM.

“I think it’s important for people to see themselves when they look at their company—when they look at their field,” she said. “It can be discouraging when they don’t see that.”

She said the Co-op program was invaluable in preparing her for her career.

“We [Kettering students] graduate with experience and knowledge that helps us hit the ground running,” McRoy said. “And it required that we were fast learners that could handle challenges. These are underlying keys to being successful in any STEM field, especially with new technologies.”

After graduation, McRoy continued working at Ford and earned her Master in Business Administration from University of Michigan. She has worked in the powertrain area for more than 30 years and has more than 10 years of experience in electrification. In her role, McRoy supports the upfront design selection for electric vehicles, full hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

“I really love my current role at Ford, and I look forward to doing my best for my team and our customers,” she said.

McRoy returned to her alma mater Tuesday for Ford Day. In the morning, students checked out the latest products from Ford’s showroom. During lunchtime, a panel of Ford alumni leadership and recent grads, which includes McRoy, spoke about what it’s like to work at Ford.

“There are certain majors we are looking for supporting that transition to EVs, but I really can’t understate how important the product requires multidisciplinary teams,” McRoy said. “You’re not going to make a great product with just double Es [Electrical Engineering] or just Computer Science. You have to understand how the mechanics come together, how heat transfers are going to impact your electrical performance, so you really need to know the basics. Then follow what you find exciting, interesting and that you know you’re good at.”

She said students should have a plan for their careers but be OK with taking a different route and “learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

“Trying new things and taking on challenges can be so rewarding and helps you grow the most,” McRoy said.