Society of Women Engineers (SWENext) is a chapter introduced to Ocean Lakes in 2021 by alumna Caroline Camden, to allow high schoolers to explore the different fields that relate to engineering.
“The purpose of the club is to expose high schoolers to different STEM related fields and increase the interest, especially in women, to seek these jobs,” president and senior Nupur Mehta said.
The SWENext club is meant to empower young women to pursue STEM fields, according to junior Eleanor Strader.
“This club was created by a student a few years ago, but I felt that it has such a great purpose and goal that I wanted to get more involved with it,” Nupur said.
Sponsors and technology specialists Jennifer Leary and Meri Riddick help lead the club along with co-presidents Katie Wilkinson and Nupur Mehta.
“As president, I make sure that we are prepared for our monthly meetings, as well as present at these meetings,” Nupur said. “Our club would not run as smoothly as it does with our executive board and advisors, so I am very grateful for them.”
Every meeting, a female engineer guest speaker comes in and talks about their day-to-day life, according to Eleanor.
“We try to get speakers who the girls are connected to,” Riddick said. “The girls in SWENext may have mothers, aunts, family, friends or siblings that are involved in some of these careers.”
The club introduced three guest speakers this year including Adrienne Lachetta, who is a project manager for a construction company, Dr. Kathy Conn, who is a United States Geological Survey Hydrologist & Water Quality Specialist from the Washington Water Science Center in Tacoma, Wash. and Mandy LeBeau, who is an associate principal at HBA Architecture & Interior Design, Inc.
“My favorite part of this club is seeing how many different opportunities women have to get to a career that they love,” Eleanor said. “Always, the speakers have enlightening things to share with us and it is never the same.”
