A group of Elizabethtown College students and a faculty chaperone recently attended the annual Society of Women Engineers (SWE) conference, WE24: Together We Rise in Chicago from Oct. 24 to 26.

The trip to the world’s largest women in engineering and technology conference was made possible thanks, in part, to a generous donation from two friends of the College.

“It was incredibly empowering and inspiring being surrounded by so many women in male-dominated fields, especially with so many of these women being people of color,” Munia Kamal ’27 said. “It is motivating to see their accomplishments despite challenges they face in their field.”

Kamal attended the conference with fellow Blue Jays Megan Fisher ’27, Jacquelyn Nickel ’25, and Madison Stewart ’25, along with Elizabethtown College Assistant Professor of Engineering Shannon Clancy. All students who attended are members of the Etown student chapter of SWE, which was approved as an official chapter in 2023. The students were able to learn from engineers in the industry about their experiences while exploring career interests and opportunities they weren’t previously exposed to. This year, the conference had more than 18,000 attendees.

(L-R): Clancy, Nickel, Stewart, Kamal, and Fisher in front of the Bean in Chicago.

“Attending the SWE Conference allowed me to learn so many interesting things and hear from a variety of different people,” Stewart, who made a video about her experience at the conference said. “I was able to get helpful advice to better lead our chapter as well as hear from female engineers who were also brand new in the industry and learn how they handled their early careers.”

The group attended sessions and panels on various topics, including resiliency in the workplace, professional skill development, networking, and financial literacy. Students also had the chance to attend informational sessions about internships and career opportunities.

Students also connected with leaders of other college SWE chapters about retention of members, event ideas, and funding options.

“The conference was incredibly beneficial for the students and myself,” Clancy said. “I am truly thankful to see how much our students benefited from this experience and how they were able to attend due to donor support.”

In addition to their work at the conference, the group explored the city, visiting the Shedd Aquarium and the Bean and enjoying Chicago-style pizza.