Nothing is better than enjoying a frozen treat while the weather is still warm.
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Bradley chapter said goodbye to summer and hello to a new school year at their first event of the semester, offering free ice cream and a variety of other frozen treats for students.
Alongside the sweets, attendees had the chance to meet members of SWE and learn more about the organization.
“It’s our first general event to get new members in,” Kali Colston, SWE co-president and senior mechanical engineering major said. “We invited people to come out, talk about classes, get them interested in joining SWE and have a good time.”
SWE’s Ice Cream Social was intended to be more lighthearted than other, more serious events they plan to host throughout the semester.
“Ice cream is a great way to socialize, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like ice cream,” Jill Kennicott, SWE vice president and junior mechanical engineering major said. “It’s a great way for everyone to see each other again and bring in new people to join our club.”
SWE aims to empower women in STEM by providing resources they may not have access to compared to their male counterparts. The group also seeks to create a sense of belonging and community for women in STEM to combat the feelings of isolation they may experience in their fields.
“Back in high school, I had no STEM access at all and had to go to a neighboring school to join the robotics team,” Grace Thomas, SWE member and junior electrical engineering major said. “[SWE is] everything that I stood for, women’s empowerment and providing resources for women who just don’t have them.”
The specific services SWE offers its members range from helping prepare for the upcoming job fair to assisting with creating a resume.
Most importantly, SWE allows students to attend a national convention to network with employers nationwide.
“The SWE conference is a really great opportunity where there’s a giant career fair with hundreds of companies that go and interview women, answer questions and have open spots for them,” Enya Orozco, SWE Co-President and senior mechanical engineering major said. “We also have the job prep where we do a resume critique and work with interviewers.”
SWE has created a sense of community that members otherwise might not have had, allowing many to feel welcome on campus.
Members encourage everyone, regardless of their major, to interact with them and get to know the people involved within the organization.
“Aside from the events, some of these girls have become my best friends,” Kennicott said. “Having those people there who have my back, whether it’s in my engineering courses, social life, personal life, is so important to have.”
