With their eyes set on engineering the extraordinary, women in engineering from four Wisconsin colleges and universities are first building something essential to success: community and connection.
On Saturday, Sept. 20, students and professionals gathered on Marquette’s campus for the third annual Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Regional Convention. Co-hosted by student leaders from Marquette, Carthage College, Milwaukee School of Engineering and UW-Milwaukee, the convention brought together students and industry professionals to inspire innovation, empower leadership and build meaningful connections. This year’s theme, “Engineering the Extraordinary,” guided a full day of interactive workshops, alumni and professional speakers and panels, and a casual networking and career fair.
The keynote address was delivered by Kathleen Linehan, Eng ’91, president of Alpha Corporation, a woman-owned multidisciplinary construction consulting firm based in Virginia. Linehan shared insights from her career in construction and engineering management, offering advice and encouragement to the next generation of engineers.
For first-year engineering student Sofie Oestermeyer, Linehan’s words were just what she needed to hear in the first weeks of her academic journey at Marquette. “Hearing from a leader like Kathleen was very helpful. She provided wise knowledge about what it is like to work in the engineering field as a woman, and how we can engineer the extraordinary in our future careers,” Oestermeyer says. “Her words were inspiring for many of us and helped us to brainstorm ways to stand out in our careers.”
These words from Oestermeyer represent exactly what event organizers were hoping for when they began planning the convention earlier this year. And for the first time, the convention was fully co-planned and co-hosted by student leaders from each participating school, marking a new collaboration to share ideas, energy and vision across campuses.
“Collaborating with other schools has created a true sense of community for women studying engineering in the Milwaukee area,” says Sophia Jansma, senior environmental engineering student and vice president of Marquette’s SWE chapter. “It can feel competitive and intimidating in a male-dominated field. It’s inspiring to see how many women are represented in engineering, reminding us how important it is to support one another.”
In addition to intercollegiate collaboration and generous speakers and panelists, the event was also supported by multiple industry sponsors. Sponsors included ABB, GE HealthCare, Komatsu, raSmith and Sentry Equipment. Additional industry partners were present during a casual career fair, providing networking opportunities and career advice.
Beyond the regional convention, Marquette’s SWE chapter continues to lead social and professional programming to support current and future STEM students. Current initiatives include a mentoring program for new students in Marquette’s Opus College of Engineering, as well as a mentoring program to support middle school students at Notre Dame School of Milwaukee.
