Society of Women Engineers collegiate section established at Lipscomb

On-campus section of the educational and service organization empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering.

Janel Shoun-Smith | 615.966.7078 | 01/27/2020

In February 2019, Lipscomb chartered a collegiate section of the Society of Women Engineers after successfully reaching a benchmark of more than 10 active members who were underclasswomen.

The Society of Women Engineers is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering and to be recognized for their life-changing contributions as engineers and leaders.

“SWE provides opportunities for female engineering students to build a community with one another and to develop themselves professionally,” said Kirsten Dodson, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and faculty sponsor for the group.

Lipscomb has 46 women enrolled in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering. Over the past year, the section has carried out various professional development and social events such as a tour of the Nissan plant in Smryna, Tennessee, a tour of the 505 Building when it was under construction in downtown Nashville, a lecture by Margot Lee Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures, resume reviews and hosting local engineering professional as speakers.

Last year, for the first time ever, the Lipscomb SWE section sent 10 students to a local SWE conference in St. Louis, Missouri. This February, the section will send 12 students to the SWE conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they will participate in professional development through networking, a career fair and workshops.

“Being involved in the SWE section has given me great networking opportunities. It has helped me reach out to powerful women who have been in my exact shoes,” said Emily Morgan, a senior in civil engineering from Brentwood, Tennessee, who serves as vice president of the club. “SWE has also helped me get to know my fellow female engineers. SWE gives us the chance to meet the women within our discipline but in a much more relaxed environment.”

Also in February, the SWE section is co-hosting, along with the Professional SWE section of Nashville, the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on campus to celebrate National Engineers Week.

Lipscomb's SWE section has also initiated a partnership for STEM outreach with Girls Inc., a national organization that supports development of strong, smart, bold girls. In Nashville, Girls Inc. has members at more than 21 Metro Nashville Public Schools and serves hundreds of girls every academic year. Lipscomb’s SWE section is currently working with Girls Inc. Nashville to better support programming like STEM activities, holiday events and spring break camp.

"It was so rewarding to have discussions about what I'm pursuing with girls that had never learned about engineering," said Leah Hampton, a senior in mechanical engineering and the student president of the SWE.

"It has given me a community within the college of engineering that goes beyond my graduating class. It provides a perfect platform for connecting with other women, from freshmen to seniors," said Hampton. "SWE has also allowed me to broaden my professional horizons and connect with many women in the engineering industry across the country."

Current officers of the newly chartered section are Hampton, president; Morgan, vice president; Natalie Shaffer, secretary; and Anna Bailey, treasurer.

To learn more about Lipscomb SWE follow @lipscomb_SWE on Instagram.

 

***NOTE: MEMBERSHIP OR PARTICIPATION IN THE LIPSCOMB SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS COLLEGIATE SECTION IS NOT LIMITED BY SEX AND IS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF SEX, DESPITE ITS NAME.