- By: Kevin Fleming
When the Systems Engineering program at Colorado State University officially became a formal department in 2019, it was a proud milestone in the university’s history. But behind that institutional achievement is a quieter, more personal story, one built on persistence, respect, and a deep care for people.
In 2007, Mary Gomez became the first administrative support for the fledgling systems engineering program. This summer, she retired from her role as program coordinator, having witnessed and shaped the department’s journey from uncertain beginnings to academic prominence.
Starting with no roadmap
In 2007, Under Secretary of the Air Force, former NASA astronaut Ron Sega, was among a community of government and private entities that recognized the growing need for systems thinking across engineering and industry. To address this need in Colorado, CSU chose Sega to launch a new graduate program. The program would begin offering a Master of Engineering degree in 2008, but that left only a year to build it from scratch.
The first item on the agenda was to hire key support staff.
“I knew I couldn’t get the first hire wrong, because that person would shape the team and the culture I hoped to build – one where people worked well together,” Sega said. “It had to start with that first hire, then carry through to the next, and eventually grow into a strong program.
“Mary was the first person on my list, and in my view, I didn’t need to look any further.”
Gomez said she was initially reluctant to apply for the job, but the urging of her sister and the prospect of meeting an astronaut gave her the incentive she needed.
Gomez was assigned as the program assistant. At the time, she had already worked for years within CSU and had built a reputation for grace under pressure and knowing who to call when things got tricky. Her 2-year stint working at Woodward also gave her connections to key industry partners that proved to be helpful for outreach.
“There wasn’t really a road map,” Gomez said. “We didn’t have a department. We didn’t even have an office at first. There were just a few of us trying to figure it out. Sometimes I worked in closets – literally – because we didn’t have space. But we made it work.”
Sega, who led the development of the curriculum and forged industry partnerships, said Gomez was mission-critical from day one. She was instrumental in distributing an industry-wide survey designed to identify the most important courses the program should offer, a survey that initially received more than 600 replies in two weeks. From that data, the core of the original curriculum was born – nine courses plus a capstone, spanning electrical and mechanical engineering, civil, business, and systems thinking.
“Mary had to operate without a blueprint,” he said. “We had a vision, but she was the one turning that vision into operations. Her ability to make executive decisions, especially when I was traveling or unreachable, was essential.”
Wearing all the hats
From managing Sega’s travel and calendar across government and university systems, to answering every student inquiry, to cold-calling HR departments at engineering firms across the state – Gomez did it all.
During the 2008 hiring freeze, she navigated complex regulations to keep the program staffed and operational. In 2014, Gomez witnessed the first time the program made more money than it cost, becoming profitable in its own right, allowing it to grow.
“It was a lot of juggling, and we were under another department,” she said. “So, we had to get creative sometimes.”
Sega gave Gomez full access to his email – rare in most academic settings.
“I trusted her completely,” he said. “She understood the mission. She had the judgment. And she always followed up.”
Facing challenges and finding allies
Gomez was there for every faculty and staff hire, processed travel for government-connected projects, and navigated the university’s systems without the full formal backing of a department. At times, the only reason a process moved forward was because Gomez found someone willing to help.
“I knew a lot of people across campus,” she said. “And I asked a lot of favors. I found that if you were honest about what you were trying to do, people wanted to help.”
Her hard work paid off, giving the program room to function as intended.
“Mary was the heart of the program,” said Sega. “The faculty could focus on teaching and research because Mary kept everything else moving.”
When the program officially became a department, Gomez provided the continuity that helped new staff and faculty settle into their roles.
“She carried so much institutional memory,” said Sega. “It’s hard to imagine the department without her.”
Legacy and lessons
When asked what advice she’d give someone stepping into a new role like hers, Gomez is humble but clear.
“Treat people with respect,” she said. “Be honest, be kind, and be persistent. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but make sure people know why you’re asking.”
Gomez’s approach – part diplomacy, part grit – helped build a department that now serves hundreds of graduate students and partners with national laboratories, federal agencies, and global companies.
As she steps into retirement, Gomez said she’s looking forward to more time with family, traveling for fun instead of work, and maybe doing less multitasking.
The quiet engine
Behind every program, every lecture, and every degree conferred over the past 18 years in Systems Engineering, Gomez has been a quiet, steady engine. Her work – often invisible to those outside the department – helped turn an idea into an institution.
“She didn’t just work here,” Sega said. “She built something that will last.”
As the CSU community thanks Gomez for her decades of service, her colleagues and students know they’ve been lucky to witness something rare: someone who leads not from the front, but from the heart.
Systems Engineering News
