Archive for November, 2008

Preparing Future Leaders

{ November 22, 2008 @ 2:26 am } · { Best Practices, Hot Topics }
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by Islin Moy
Regional Collegiate Newsletter Editor, Region i

Personally, this has been one heck of a challenging post to talk about. But after a few weeks about thinking about it and fresh from the break from the SWE National Conference, I think I have found some of the answers (and of course, questions!).

Becoming a leader, for the Society of Women Engineers at your local campus, or a leader within your classes or your career, requires guts. Straight up. It means doing the right thing, (aka whatever makes you sleep at night) despite public resentment, anger, and a variety of negative consequences.

One of my favorite examples comes from the movie Freedom Writers (starring Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey). In one scene, Eva, the character played by April Lee Hernandez, witnessed a shooting that killed a man. However, the shooter is her own boyfriend. While she is on the stand testifying to send an innocent man to jail forever, she decides to do the right thing, and convicts her boyfriend of shooting the man. She is forever shunned by her gang, but it also means that she has an opportunity for a better life without them.

She was given the keys to do the right thing by her high school English teacher, Erin Grunswell (played by Hilary Swank), who nurtured Eva’s belief in herself as a strong women. I also believe that empowering others to do the right thing, as well as helping them develop their skills in whatever position they are in (whether member or president). 

However, having the ability to stand up for the right thing and empowering others are just two of the many traits in becoming a great leader. In my journey to becoming a leader, I believe that many books offer some of the answers you are looking for. Click on the titles for an Amazon review. 

Good to Great. You will learn the characteristics of the best CEOs who transformed their companies–and how they were able to keep their high performance even when the CEOs were long gone. 

Her Story: A Timeline of Women Who Changed America. Written by a fellow SWE member and Past President, Jill Tietjen, you will be pleasantly surprised at how instrumental women are in the shaping of American history. A good place to start when looking for role models from history. 

The Art of War. This book requires you to think, and then you will see examples from the field in your own life. Good for those who think in terms of analogy. I prefer the Thomas Cleary edition. 

Remember that at the end of the day, you will eventually need to find your own way to becoming a leader, whether that is being webmaster, president, or member, with or without a title. You will need to find your own way so that you can test the truth in what is being said by these books.

Islin (islinmoy at gmail dot com) also serves as COR MEGA Issue Task Force Chair. 

University of Missouri: Sunday Bowling Shindig

{ November 17, 2008 @ 3:44 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Ryan Schaeffer throwing a strike!

Ryan Schaeffer throwing a strike!

by Brian Swift
University of Missouri

The University of Missouri’s chapter of SWE started off the school year with a Sunday afternoon trip to a local bowling alley, and good cheer was in great supply. About thirty people attended, with 3 of them being guys. (Mizzou’s chapter is fairly unique in having a male officer and 4 active male members.) Two hours of fun proceeded with cokes and popcorn being provided in the 10$ participation cost for the event. The Shindig was the first of its kind for the Mizzou SWE chapter, and is just one of many new events being put into play by the dynamic new president, Katie Tepper.

Overall, the event was a great success and well worth the ten dollars. So much fun was had in fact, that a second social event was immediately requested by the member populace. So now we just look forward to what hilarious times will be had at the next Mizzou SWE rendezvous. 

Brian Swift (bjsr6c at mizzou dot edu) also serves as historian for the University of Missouri section. 

Colorado School of Mines: Bring Your Own Bottles!

{ November 12, 2008 @ 12:48 am } · { Best Practices }
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Students pose with their new water bottles. Courtesy of Brandy Laudig

Students pose with their new water bottles. Courtesy of Brandy Laudig

by Kristi Selden
submitted by Brandy Laudig

For the past few years, water and lemonade have been provided for Mines SWE members at the weekly meetings.  However, due to rising costs and some other circumstances, we were unable to continue providing drinks this year.  Rather than getting frustrated, we saw this as an opportunity to “go green!”  Using the money that would have been spent on the drinks (and cups), water bottles were purchased and distributed to all members. 

“It was awesome at the beginning of the year to find out that we would be receiving free water bottles,” said Michelle Harris, “but then I realized that it was an even better idea because we would be reducing waste!”  Members now bring their filled water bottles to the meetings so that we are no longer wasting unused beverages or throwing away plastic cups.  Jessica Olstad commented that “this was a very good idea and a lot of people are using them.”  SWE members can be easily spotted around campus, carrying their pink, green, or purple water bottles! 

Kristi Selden (kselden at mines dot edu) is the current public relations officer for the Colorado School of Mines section and has previously served as the event treasurer. Brandy Laudig (brandy dot laudig at gmail dot com) also serves as the photographer and webmaster for the section. 

University of Nebraska, Lincoln: Women In Engineering Day

{ November 11, 2008 @ 12:47 am } · { Collegiate Events }
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by Dana Tabor
University of Nebraska, Lincoln

An edible car! Courtesy of Carole Wilbeck

An edible car! Courtesy of Carole Wilbeck

 

This year at Women Interested in Engineering (WIIE) Day, a UNL recruitment event, almost 50 local high school girls got the opportunity to experience hands-on engineering on the UNL campus. The morning began with a welcome and tours of the engineering facility provided by UNL Student Ambassadors and Diplomats. Next the girls participated in hands-on engineering activities led by professional and student SWE members. In one activity the girls used linear relations to predict the success of a BarbieTM bungee jump, in another they explored properties of packaging materials and built egg containers designed to survive a 24 foot drop, and finally they explored the chemistry behind and made their own lip gloss. During lunch a professional SWE member spoke about the challenges and rewards of engineering. After lunch the girls broke into teams to create edible cars and test them on a rigorous downhill course.

The event is held annually and is one way the UNL SWE encourages women in engineering. In the words of WIIE Chair Shannon Killion, “WIIE is a great opportunity for high school females to come to campus and learn more about the opportunities a career in engineering can offer them.” With the success of this year’s WIIE event we hope to see an increase in the enrolment of female engineers at UNL in the years to come.

Dana Tabor (Dana dot Tabor at huskers dot unl dot edu) also serves as secretary of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln section. Carole Wilbeck (cwilbeck2 at unl dot edu) is a communications specialist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. 

Missouri University of Science and Technology: 14th Annual SWE Lock-Inby

{ November 3, 2008 @ 11:21 pm } · { Collegiate Events }
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Courtesy of Barb Hall

Courtesy of Barb Hall

by Katie Rodhouse
Missouri University of Science and Technology

The Missouri University of Science and Technology chapter of the Society of Women Engineers recently hosted their bi-annual Lock-In for potential female students.  The two day event from September 26 to 27 is open to all high school juniors and seniors as well as transfer students.  Thirty-three young women from across the nation attended the Fall 2008 Lock-In. 

During the Lock-In, the group got the chance to tour different departments on campus and to participate in several activities.  The female students made ice cream with the Chemical Engineering department, toured the Materials lab and foundry, and built popsicle towers with the Civil Engineering department.  The potential students were also given the opportunity to eat lunch with current female campus leaders and professors.  The Missouri S&T ROTC organized a team-building program with the attendees and the SWE volunteers.

The young women also participated in an engineering competition called The Cinderella Shoe Project.  Groups of five created shoes completely out of card stock and proceeded to model them for a panel of SWE judges.  The winning shoe was determined based on creativity and sustainability. 

Throughout the event, the visiting students had the opportunity to experience engineering, learn about the Missouri S&T campus, and meet SWE members.  This year’s Lock-In was the 14th Lock-In put on by SWE. “The Lock-In was a great success! We had the most girls we’ve ever had visit Missouri S&T,” said Jill Hecht, Vice President of the Missouri S&T SWE chapter. Approximately 54% of all Lock-In attendees decide to enroll at Missouri S&T.

Katie Rodhouse (knrkvf at mst dot edu) also serves as secretary of the Missouri University of Science and Technology section of SWE. Barb Hall serves as treasurer for the section.