On Wednesday, March 16th, the Women in Engineering Club at Kent State University hosted the first Womxn in STEM Collaborative Meeting. Groups with goals focusing on women and gender minorities in STEM were invited to an evening at the Women’s Center to learn about similar groups on campus and their upcoming events, before having the chance to mingle and get to know each other over ice cream.
Groups in attendance were Scientista and Women in Mathematics, with Women in Aviation and the Construction Management Student Organization sending their regards but unable to attend. Those in attendance discussed future collaborations including future semesterly or annually collaborative meetings, a Graduate Student panel for women to learn more about the process of pursuing higher degrees, and Women in Engineering’s upcoming Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.
The event was a great success connecting these groups and individuals with one another, especially despite how new Women in Engineering is to Kent State. The group formed in October 2021 from an initial 5 members led by club President Ruth Miller, who hoped to bring a chapter of the Society of Women Engineers to campus. With the help of her peers and the incredible support of the College of Aeronautics and Engineering administration, Miller was able to make this dream a reality. Since its formation, the club has grown from an initial 5 members to 23, and is in the process of becoming an official SWE chapter.
Within its first 6 months of existence, the Women in Engineering Club has:
- Hosted representatives from the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, Career Exploration and Development, and Tesla as guest speakers;
- Held movie and craft nights for members, and
- Made Christmas and winter holiday cards for a local nursing home.
The group has also begun planning for its first Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, to be held on October 22nd, 2022.
During this event, girls and other gender minorities in grades 7-12 will have the opportunity to come to campus for a day of fun STEM and Engineering themed activities. The goal of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is to introduce these youth to the culture of respect and support that Kent State University and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering creates for women pursuing degrees in male-dominated fields, such as engineering. Participants will be able to tour the Kent State University campus and College of Aeronautics and Engineering building, take part in problem solving activities, hear from an inspiring guest speaker, and take part in a tabling event to learn more about groups and services at Kent State. Parents and educators will also be invited to attend the tabling portion of this event and an informational session regarding how to support women and gender minorities in male-dominated spaces.
The Women in Engineering club has made great strides in their first few months, and the success of the group will only grow. The group is incredibly grateful for the constant support and encouragement from the CAE, Women’s Center, and Center for Student Involvement. To keep up to date with the group, follow the group on Instagram at @ksuwomengineers. More specific questions can be directed to President Ruth Miller at rmill179@kent.edu.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the group, fill out the informational form and join the groupme at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFWjrIEqNrKg6Qxyf0bpGg6Nm5x9mqllT-tZ23dPTFmcjqIg/viewform?usp=sf_link.
For more information about Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, visit https://www.kent.edu/cae/introduce-girl-engineering-day-hosted-women-engineering or contact Events Coordinator Haley Dees at hdees@kent.edu.
For inquiries about donating to the group or sponsoring this event, contact Treasurer Kelly Badowski at kbadowsk@kent.edu.
This article was written and submitted by Haley Dees and Ruth Miller.
Photo credits: Chazzlyn Jackson, Baylee Stewart, Autumn Ohl (2), unknown (2).