When I told people I was studying engineering at college, I received a variety of different reactions, but one I commonly heard was that I should prepare to be surrounded by men in my classes. This supposition was not unfounded; in 2015, 19.9% of Bachelor’s engineering degrees were earned by women. I wasn’t sure what to expect; I’d known that the numbers of women going into STEM fields was steadily growing, but I also knew it wasn’t where it should be.
I got my first introduction to women in engineering at Penn when I signed up for the Advancing Women in Engineering (AWE) pre-orientation program over the summer. We arrived on campus on August 20, about three days earlier than the regular freshmen move in and headed off to the engineering quad to learn what we were in for. Almost half of the women in engineering in my incoming freshmen class signed up to attend, and when we got there, the director of the AWE program, Michelle Rainey, gave us a surprising statistic. 42% of Penn’s incoming freshmen engineering class was made up of women, the highest it had ever been.
Over the next few days, we went through a variety of informative, social, and academic sessions, both introducing us to Penn and Penn engineering and helping us get to know each other before the craziness of NSO and starting our classes. The program included around twenty student females in engineering who’d been through the program and volunteered to come back, lead groups, and share their experiences with us. We heard from female engineering professors, went on a ghost tour in historic Philly, met in our major groups to talk about course recommendations and trials and tribulations over the years, and watched the eclipse together at Penn Park. Though this was the first of many days to come in which I’d be surrounded with unfamiliar faces and my ability to memorize faces and names was put to the test, the upperclassmen all promised that while we wouldn’t meet everyone in these first few days, in the weeks and months and years to come, we’d see familiar faces in our classes and across campus and immediately have someone to sit next to, tackle a problem set, or just grab lunch with in the dining halls.
In my first few months, I’ve found this to be very true. Being a female in engineering can sometimes be an intimidating and isolating experience, and it makes a world of difference to have people in your corner who are going through the same struggles and can completely relate to what you’re going through. In my two main engineering classes this semester, I’ve partnered with several fellow AWE pre-orientation girls on group projects, and we’ve often studied together and discussed problem sets. In the halls in engineering, I often run into the older mentors from the program, and they’re always willing to offer advice on classes or just a smile of encouragement.
On campus, as the year has continued, I’ve discovered many more resources. AWE often holds weekly study sessions with Insomnia cookies, as well as reunion dinners and meals that connect girls who are undecided of their major with upperclassmen in those majors. The Society of Women Engineers, a student-run organization, holds monthly meetings and almost weekly events, including hosting programs for middle school and high school girls such as summer camps and shadowing days. The women I’ve met in engineering through these programs and in my time at Penn so far are incredibly smart, kind, helpful, inquisitive, passion about what they are studying, and determined to make a difference. It’s inspiring to be around so many strong, empowering women who are not afraid to take a less travelled path. I’m hopeful that in my four years at Penn, it becomes less uncommon, and the numbers jump up to 50% women in engineering, not just at Penn, but also worldwide. Until then, I’ll continue to celebrate the intelligence, leadership, and passion of the women around me in STEM.
