Shannon Culbertson Thompson ’06 Receives Outstanding Young Alumna Award

June 6, 2016 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Outstanding Young Alumna Award, awarded annually by the Alumnae Association of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, honors an alumna who exhibits leadership not only in her personal and professional accomplishments, but also in her involvement with the Alumnae Association and/or the College. A candidate for this award would have graduated from this Catholic liberal arts women’s college within the last 15 years. 

This year’s recipient is Shannon Culbertson Thompson ’06 of Cincinnati. The recipient was announced Saturday, June 4, at the Reunion Banquet held on campus.

Thompson works as the Organizational Communications Manager at General Electric Aviation. In this role she leads a team of nine managers and supports the Human Resources Vice President of GE Aviation among other responsibilities. Since she started with GE in 2006, she has held roles as the Community Relations Specialist, Communications Specialist, and Client Communications Manager for Military Systems Operations.

In her position Thompson has had the opportunity to assist in reports to the President at GE Aviation, leading to individual recognition by executive leadership. As a result she was invited to attend GE’s Advanced Management Course in 2012 and the Manager Development Course for Executive Leadership in 2015. Thompson provided leadership at a GE sales conference in Cape Town, South Africa in 2013, organized the company’s annual kick-off event for the past three years, and was awarded the GE Aviation Leadership Award by the CEO of GE Aviation in 2015.

Thompson’s dedication to her community has led her to involvement with organizations in Cincinnati. She volunteers through the Evanston Academy Tutoring Program where she meets weekly with students to provide academic support. She and her husband, Justin, have participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for two years, providing financial and personal support to a local boy and family in need. Shannon and Justin also raise money for the March of Dimes Foundation, inspired by their own experiences when their daughter, Eve, struggled to survive meconium aspiration at birth. Because the couple was profoundly impacted by this experience and grateful for the care and expertise they found at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Thompson chose to donate the cash portion of the GE Aviation Leadership Award she received to the Medical Center. The GE Foundation doubled the award in Eve’s name.

An involved student during her time on campus, Thompson continues to be involved with her alma mater. She serves on the leadership board of the Saint Mary’s College Cincinnati Alumnae club as Vice President. Shannon also serves students and other alumnae through the Alumnae Resource Network.

In her nomination of Thompson, Carrie Orr Chambers ’06 wrote, “Shannon continues to be someone I admire and look to for wisdom in times of need. She is, and has been for the past 14 years, one of the most selfless people I know and a person who I am blessed to call my dear friend.”

About Saint Mary's College: Celebrating over 175 years of empowering women to make a difference in the world, Saint Mary’s College is recognized as a pioneer and continued force in the education of women. A Catholic, liberal arts institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, the College offers more than 50 undergraduate academic programs and also offers co-educational master’s degrees.