SHEroes program fosters support for prospective engineering students

More and more female high school students are choosing to study STEM fields, in particular engineering, after graduating high school. According to the Society of Women Engineers, interest in engineering and computer science has been on a steady upward trajectory since 2009. SHEroes, a new program from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s Office of Recruitment, Outreach and Scholarship targeting 9^th and 10^th grade female students, aims to help keep interest in engineering high among this target audience.

On Friday, Nov. 18, Auburn Engineering faculty, students, alumni and staff will welcome dozens of high school students to campus to hear from current female engineering students and get to know the various engineering fields of study offered by the college. Open to all who want to attend, the program is specifically designed to encourage and foster support for women who are interested in learning more about Auburn Engineering.

“We are so excited about our inaugural SHEroes event,” said Andrew McGill, recruitment administrator for the Office of Recruitment, Outreach and Scholarship. “We aim to inspire the next generation of future engineers by showing them how they can change the world. Through the hands on-activities and the interaction with current students, faculty, staff, and alumni, we have a fun-filled day planned for our guests.”

The event will feature a panel of current students – including chemical engineering’s Brooke Howard and Abbie Griffin, and Emma Strickland from mechanical engineering – offering their experiences in the college and sharing advice for prospective students to consider as they weigh their college options. After the panel, participants will enjoy a college tour and participate in a hands-on activity in the Tiger Motors Lab, commonly known as the “Lego Lab,” led by Victoria Ballard, industrial and systems engineering doctoral student.

“We understand the importance of encouraging prospective students early on in the recruitment process,” McGill said. “Having this event geared towards 9^th and 10^th graders will do just that.”