About
About Us
Why it started
Joshua’s journey into engineering wasn’t a direct path, but along the way, doors opened, and he received the encouragement and opportunities needed to finish school and build a career in the transportation industry. His dream for this organization is to create a platform that provides opportunities and exposure, helping people to reach their dreams. As a college student, his dream was simple: to secure a good job, buy a house, and raise a family in a stable environment.
About the Founder
Josh’s founding story
The founder, Joshua Cheatham, started the foundation in honor of his maternal grandmother, Sallie Mae Cheatham. During World War II, she traveled across the country from South Carolina to the Northwest with her first husband to work in camps and factories, drawn by the promise of a better wage. After falling in love with the area, she settled in Seattle and raised her family. When her second husband, Aubrie Cheatham, passed away from brain cancer, she and her youngest sister started a clothing business, opening a stand at Pike Place Market. As a young boy, Joshua saw firsthand business being conducted. Even after she closed the business, his grandmother continued sewing wedding dresses and other garments for family and friends, not for profit, but out of love for her community. That deep sense of community was always present in Sallie’s home and her spirit of generosity continues to inspire Joshua today.
Throughout his career, Joshua has benefited from the mentorship and guidance of others, and he is committed to paying it forward. He recognizes that there are not many people in the industry that look like him and he wants to expose anyone willing to listen to the joy and satisfaction of building public infrastructure. Joshua’s own path to graduation was not easy—he faced challenges due to a lack of foundational knowledge and an unfamiliarity with the educational process. He had a singular focus on graduating with his civil engineering degree and eventually achieved his goal.
Now, Joshua has now set out to help the next generation reach their goals on a path that avoids some of the challenges that he faced. He also sees an urgent need to attract more talent to the industry. With high-tech and other STEM fields drawing students away, careers in civil engineering, land surveying, and infrastructure have become less visible. By increasing awareness and opportunity, Joshua hopes to inspire more people to join an industry that is essential to shaping our collective future.
The meaning behind the mark
The Sallie Foundation logo incorporates elements that honor the legacy of Sallie, and represent the vision of creating positive impact on the lives of aspiring engineers.
The meaning behind the Sallie Foundation logo