The document describes a program called Smart Girls Rock that aims to encourage young women to pursue careers in engineering. It provides details on the program's organization, volunteers, and success in inspiring female students to consider engineering. The program offers speed-mentoring sessions where female students speak to various female engineers, shares research on the benefits of mentoring for career choices, and provides feedback from students who found the program influential in expanding their views of engineering careers.

1. SWE 2014 SMART GIRLS ROCK!
In Your Community

2. Lea Bouton
Education:
B. A. Chemistry - University of San Diego
M. S. Engineering Management - Old Dominion University
M. A. Teaching - University of Alaska Anchorage
Experience
7 years U. S. Navy, certified Nuclear Engineer
5 years teaching chemistry & engineering at A. J. Dimond High School
Chelsea O’Connor
Education:
B.S ME- Iowa State University
Experience
3M Project Engineer - St. Paul, MN

3. Katherine Kaspar
Education:
A.A.S Mechanical Drafting
B. A. MechE – University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN
Experience
7 yrs Automated Machine Design
6 yrs 3M Manufacturing Engineer
Quotes from Katherine…
“Our first SGR! went very smoothly! It was a great experience by all.”
“Having the program piloted in Alaska first, and with all of the prework we were able to use, we pulled the program together in 5 months.”
“Getting sponsorship and recruiting volunteers was the most challenging aspect.”

4. Session framing
How many of you knew an engineer when you were growing up?
How many of you have or had a mentor?
How many of you are interested in helping young women develop a passion for engineering?

5. What will this session provide to you?
Template
•Offer you an exciting & successful outreach template that can be easily replicated in your local community.
Guidance
•Help you to encourage female students to pursue an education & career in engineering.
Inspiration
•Inspire you to want to develop a similar event in your area.

6. Video
Smart Girls Rock! Video

7. Research Studies Support SGR!
“Mentoring gives students a chance to realistically view their career options.”
"When girls meet other girls who like science, they see that it's okay to be good at science. In the company of girls who share their interests, they challenge stereotypes and make science the "in" thing to do in school.“
“The most effective way to encourage girls in the sciences is to create meaningful interactions between girls and role models in a wide variety of careers."

8. Event Overview
11:30
•Distribute schedule / goody bags
•Ice-breaker activity
•Welcome comments & group picture
Noon
•Speed-mentoring sessions
1:30
•Lunch & thank you notes
•Raffle drawing for door prizes
•Closing comments

9. Outreach “In-a-Box”
Student packets distributed (individual schedules, sample Q&A, etc)
Ice-breaker sample idea
Speed-mentoring stations (including stations about scholarships, posters, iPad engineering apps, and various engineering discipline mentors)
Lunch / snack / beverage suggestions
Raffle information
Thank-you concept
Student survey
Follow-up essay / scholarship award
Fund raising letter template
Student selection ideas
Volunteer coordination letters
Planning timeline
Art work / logo
Student invitation

10. • Select date
• Create a general plan
Oct/Nov
• Make donor requests
Dec
• Call for volunteers
• Media invitations
Jan
• Begin weekly planning mtgs
• Send invitations
Jan - Feb
• Order food
• Goody bags
• Print schedules
Feb
Planning overview
It only takes 5 months to plan your next event!

11. Keys to success
Mentors
Teachers
Admin / School District
Engineer
Students
Media for community awareness
Local university partnership
Industry alliances for financial support

12. Student feedback
“I feel like I really know my options now & am more likely to pursue a career in engineering”
“I thought engineers just sit at their desk & design, but I learned that engineering is in fact, a creative career”
“Talking to many female engineers & getting to hear about their jobs was eye-opening”
“Thank you for showing me the different fields you can go in engineering. I now want to be a chemical engineer ”.
“Thank you for all that you have taught me in the short time. Before I came here, I wanted to go into the medical field but now I am considering engineering!”
“I am very grateful to have been a part of this amazing event. Thank you!”
“This event opened my mind to my future”
“This event helped me to understand what steps I should take in school to pursue engineering in the future”
“Thanks for providing us with a great way to learn about different career opportunities in engineering”
“You made engineering sound fun”
“All the women engineers were so inspiring”
“Although I’m not really sure that I’ll be an engineer, thank you for helping me understand more”

13. No matter….
… you can make a difference
Your discipline & career…
Where you work & live…

14. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do.” ~ Amelia Earhart
Closing

15. Acknowledgements
Video Editing:
3M Video Editing Suite- Leader Michael Yungers
Video Editors: Amelia Koenig, Chelsea O’Connor, Brianna O’Neal
Schools Developing Future Women Engineers:
Dimond High School - Anchorage, AK
Eagle Point Elementary School - Oakdale, MN
Menomonie High School - Menomonie, WI
Peoria Academy - Peoria, IL
3M Corporate Support:
3M Alaska, 3M St. Paul, 3M Menomonie
3M Human Resources: Rhonda Graves & Dawn McGinley

16. Backup Questions – if none from audience
What was your biggest obstacle to getting the word out about the program to the high schoolers?
Did you have any difficulty finding mentors?
Do you offer incentives to the volunteers?
Do a lot of girls who complete this program end up enrolling in the engineering academy as a result of the workshop?
How many girls are in college in Engineering that have gone through this program?
How do you pick a school to start a program like this if you don't have an existing relationship with any staff members?
Did you think about adding a parent component to this program to inform them about careers their daughters could have in engineering?
What if your community doesn't have a Project Lead the Way school? Can you do this program at a school that doesn't have an engineering academy?