Minority engineers are taking steps to build a stronger, more diverse community at Penn.
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences hosted a Minorities in Engineering gathering last night in the Towne building.
The event, sponsored by Naked Chocolate, was organized by the Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Queer Undergraduates in Engineering, Science and Technology.
The evening consisted of an informal gathering of SEAS students belonging to various minority groups exchanging personal experiences about being a minority at Penn.
The consensus seemed to be that while Penn is an extremely open and accepting school, minority organizations help students cope with certain issues that may arise.
Many saw the sponsoring groups as communities where people are accepted for who they are and where they find "a support group of like-minded people who understand where they are coming from," said Engineering senior and NSBE President Feyisola Ogunfemi.
Having started computer science after coming to college, Ogunfemi "found it a little difficult initially and being involved with the NSBE made it easier. "
"NSBE has organized a lot of study groups and course parties where I found information like which courses to take," she said.
Networking was also emphasized as a purpose of the event by Engineering senior Brian Hylton, who is from Costa Rica and believes the groups also help develop cultural connections.
Engineering junior Brian Wright, a member of NSBE and QUEST, talked about his experience as a "double minority."
"Penn is an open community and it is a good place to be a minority, but sometimes when I feel like I am the only one, these organizations really help in making me feel comfortable," he said.
President of QUEST and Engineering junior Matt Feczko added that QUEST is a "close knit group [that] serves a purpose and fills a hole in the lives of the people involved."
Mitch Marcus, professor of Computer Information Systems, said many students "are uncomfortable with certain issues at SEAS" and need to know that the Engineering School is accepting.
"It is not enough for people to be safe, they also need to feel safe," he said.
