Though she grew up near Corning Headquarters, Kirstin Walter knew the company for one thing — its legendary dinner plates and cookware.
She didn’t know about the historic company’s innovations that clean the air, connect the unconnected, and deliver lifesaving cures.
But now, this senior mechanical engineer is a part of that legacy of innovation, helping make the equipment that manufactures the company’s life-changing products.
“Corning is the coolest company,” Kirstin says. “We do so many things, but we're mostly behind the scenes. Like fiber. You never really think about how your internet gets to you. You just know that it does. Or Gorilla Glass. You touch it every day, but you're not thinking about it. Or vials. There are just so many little things we do that make people's lives better.”
When the hometown company caught Kirstin’s eye at a Clarkson University job fair, she wondered why Corning would need mechanical engineers. Two internships at Sullivan Park Science & Technology Center in Corning, New York, showed her why. Leaving her hometown allowed her to recognize the magic in her own backyard. Now, she’s managing technicians and traveling around the globe, helping develop and install the machinery that is so vital to Corning’s businesses.
When she accepted her job at Corning, Kirstin felt a little worried about entering a field in which men outnumber women 9:1, but her new colleagues quickly made her feel welcome.
“You feel safe here,” Kirstin says. “I can feel comfortable about expressing myself outwardly. I don’t worry about looking untraditional and I’m not thinking, ‘Are they going to think that I'm not smart or that I can't do my job?’”
In addition to inclusivity, Kirstin’s values at work include positivity, organization, and communication, the latter of which she has cultivated in company trainings. Kirstin has also developed project management skills at Corning. She enjoys seeing projects from start to finish and learning new things along the way.
“A huge growing experience for me was working on similar equipment three times over,” Kirstin said. “The first time, I was really in a supporting role and then by the end it was more of management.”
Kirstin has installed extrusion equipment for three factory expansions in Hefei, China. She helped install the conveyor and handling equipment for Corning® Gorilla® Glass in Kentucky. She’s gone to Germany and Korea – wherever she’s needed – for equipment checks. Since she built her career near her hometown, Kirstin embraces work travel. She’s passionate about experiencing the world beyond Corning.
“I was really excited to get the chance to go explore different parts of the world,” Kirstin says. “It's been a lot of fun learning new cultures and trying to learn new languages with varying degrees of success.”
Kirstin has also flexed her skills, and developed new ones, as an active member of Corning’s employee resource groups. “Through ERGs, you get to go to different events to get experiences you wouldn't otherwise get,” Kirstin says.
With Corning’s opportunities in so many fields and geographic locations, Kirstin’s Corning path could take her anywhere. No matter the route, she’ll follow her own advice:
“Don't be afraid to try new things, even if it's something that you're not sure you can do,” Kirstin says. “You can always learn new skills. And make sure your values match with your workplace’s values. You’ll see that played out in the small actions you see every day.”
