Society of Women Engineers builds on close relationships

Women enrolled in the School of Engineering and Applied Science enjoyed good ice cream and good conversation last night as the Society of Women Engineers kicked off a new year with an ice cream social. All female members of the Engineering School's Class of 2001 -- 26 percent of the entering freshmen-- received invitations to the gathering where they could get advice on Engineering courses, meet fellow women in the school and learn what the club has to offer. "It's nice to know the other women in the Engineering School because it is dominated by men," SWE Special Events Coordinator and Engineering junior Jeanine Gubler said. "It's great to see familiar faces when walking through Towne and Moore [buildings]." As one of the most active organizations in the school, SWE does more than bring women together, Engineering Undergraduate Dean John Vohs said. According to the club's September/October newsletter, "The Society of Women Engineers is a non-profit service organization aimed at informing the community of the qualifications and achievements of women engineers." "Our overall goal is to maximize potential for all women in the field of engineering," SWE President and Engineering senior Vinaya Valloppillil said. Towards this end, SWE works to recruit women into engineering, while helping those already in the field to get the best possible jobs, Valloppillil said. "The society plays a key role in recruiting highly qualified undergraduate women," Vohs said. SWE members said the potential women engineers are those who are "young and impressionable." They reach out to these women by sponsoring events such as Girl Scouts Day, where young girls visit the University and participate in science and technology-oriented activities. Along with the Community Outreach Committee, SWE holds an annual fifth-grade essay contest on a topic relating to women in science and engineering, Assistant Director of Student Affairs Katherine Becht said. "I was very impressed with SWE's efforts to get young girls to think about careers in science and engineering," Becht said. SWE also shows students what opportunities exist within their respective degrees by sponsoring presentations by prestigious engineering firms such as Andersen Consulting and Goldman Sachs, Valloppillil said. Among SWE's additional activities are mock interviews, where students are given tips for improvement, and an annual SWE tea where students and professors can interact in a social setting. The group will also hold a resume workshop and a general meeting this month. Despite its focus on women, SWE does not discriminate and rather encourages men to join its ranks. Interested students can apply by filling out an application in Towne 111.