The Boeing Company has one of the largest corporate IT portfolios with 6,600 physical servers. The responsibilities of their IT and data analytics team include developing systems that virtually preassemble planes and creating apps that track weather and cybersecurity threats.

Integrated Information Technology alum Mary Kathryn Holliday started as an intern at Boeing and now leads one of the IT teams responsible for deploying and maintaining critical software and applications for more than 20,000 users worldwide.

Growing up in a family of University of South Carolina alums, including her brother, father and grandfather, Holliday knew she would also be a Gamecock. Once in Columbia, it was alum Eric Hatch who spoke in one of her classes and first introduced her to the idea of working at Boeing. Hatch, a 2015 computer information systems graduate, has worked at Boeing since starting as an intern in 2014.

“I saw my [career] path reflected in what he was talking about,” Holliday says. “Hearing him talk about the Boeing factory and being a great place to work was why I wanted to intern there.”

Holliday achieved her goal when she accepted an IT project management specialist internship at Boeing during the summer of 2019 prior to her senior year. She worked on the 787 Business Partners Team, who are the intermediaries between engineering and IT.

“We went to the factory floor and saw the technologies the engineers were using. If they had any concerns, we would take it back to IT to make improvements or resolve the problem,” Holliday says. “The experience helped me understand the importance of the relationships between engineering and IT.”

During her internship, Holliday also learned about Boeing’s IT Career Foundation Program (ITCFP), a two-year rotation offering four different roles in IT and data analytics skill areas. After securing a full-time position with Boeing in North Charleston, South Carolina after graduating, she participated in the ITCFP for one nine-month rotation and three six-month rotations. From September 2020 to January 2023, Holliday worked as a product manager for Boeing Commercial Airplanes; workforce integration specialist for human resources; IT business partner for Boeing Global Services; and systems integration specialist for HRSO.

As an undergraduate student, Mary Kathryn demonstrated a strong commitment to learning and excellence. She approached every activity with genuine interest and dedication. Her thoughtful engagement with the material reflected both her curiosity and drive to grow as an IT professional.

- IIT Instructor Sharon Gumina

Like most new graduates at the time, Holliday’s career began a few months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. But even though she worked remotely, Holliday says having the in-person experience as an intern helped prepare her. She also believes her professors gave her the confidence and necessary skills to transition into the workforce, whether remotely or in person.

“Seeing how everything worked in-person helped me understand the impact of going in full-time and contributing, even if I was remote,” Holliday says. “Working remotely made it difficult to get to know the people that were in my ITCFP cohort. But it was helpful to talk to others in the same situation as myself who could relate. We saw it as a way to bond instead of a setback.”

Holliday moved to Chicago in January 2023 but still works for Boeing as a product specialist for the company’s  V5 computer-aided manufacturing, computer-aided design tools. She supports and works closely with different cross-functional teams to help remove any IT roadblocks.

“I work with several global teams as well as partners and suppliers to help distribute the software that we use at Boeing. We're all on the same software level, so I help and troubleshoot any issues,” Holliday says.

Most importantly, Holliday’s team ensures the software and hardware functions properly throughout all of Boeing’s operations. While some only associate Boeing with constructing aircraft, properly operating IT systems are essential to the company’s production. This includes supporting applications used on the production floor.

“Working in South Carolina and seeing the planes in the factory helped me connect how everyone here has an important role,” Holliday says. “We interact with the commercial and defense units and are exposed to projects within both areas. It's nice to be connected to the entire company, whereas you may not get that as an engineer working in one area.”

Five years after starting at Boeing during a pandemic, Holliday still primarily works remotely. While most of her team is spread throughout the U.S., she still connects with her colleagues and builds relationships.

“Since I miss those conversations in the office, I make it a priority to talk with my team and get to know them on a personal level because it can be hard doing that through a screen,” Holliday says. “Working remotely enabled a new skillset and mindset to interact with coworkers.”

Outside of Boeing, Holliday is actively involved with the Chicago regional chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. She recently completed a three-year term as scholarship chair and now serves as secretary.

“I'm passionate about women in STEM, and now I'll be more involved with the overall strategy and planning of events in Chicago,” Holliday says. “Sometimes in high school, I’d be the only female in a class, so it was always important for me to make women feel empowered to pursue STEM degrees.”

The IT field is rapidly growing with significant changes during the first five years of Holliday’s career. But she believes her continuous learning mindset is ideal in her field as she is excited to see how new technologies will revolutionize manufacturing.

“I’d like to stay at Boeing and eventually move into more of a management position to help teams move forward with technology and encourage enhancements,” Holliday says. “It’s also exciting to see how IT at Boeing will continue to evolve and thrive as more technologies are introduced.”