Society of Women Engineers Host Networking Event, Style Show
Women from the College of Engineering traded their Nomex for name brands on Wednesday at the 5th annual Women Impacting Style in Engineering (WISE) networking dinner and style show.
The event, hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and sponsored by Halliburton, provided female students an opportunity to network with industry leaders and to learn how to dress for various professional situations, like interviews or company tailgates. It was open to women enrolled in engineering, computer science and construction management.
About 130 students attended the event, a jump from the 60 who attended the event in its first year, said Sarah Cooley Jones, associate director for the College’s Office of Diversity Initiatives.
“I’ve had so many students come to my office with questions about what’s appropriate to wear, how to do their hair, their makeup … “ Jones said. “We hold this to help students become leaders with style and confidence.”
Ten female engineering students modeled a variety of outfits in the style show, showcasing clothing from Dillard’s and jewelry by Kendra Scott. The students were styled by Yuwa Vosper, a communication studies doctoral student.
But the event is about “more than clothing,” Jones added: “It’s a way to meet industry representatives and ask them questions without having to worry if they’re going to interview you the next day.”
Nearly 30 representatives attended the event this year, including Michelle Green, a project manager at Halliburton and the event’s keynote speaker. Green, who graduated from LSU in 2003 in electrical engineering, addressed ways to successfully transition from college to work and from work to family.
Among her tips, she encouraged young women to dress the part—“Don’t dress for where you are, dress for where you want to be”—and to never be afraid to ask for help, even if they “want to be Superwoman all the time.”
Blaike Musso, a biological engineering junior and member of SWE, said it was inspiring to hear she could “juggle a million things at one time and still ask for help.”
Musso said she also enjoyed meeting other women engineers and scientists. “It’s fun to see how many of us there are.”
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For more information contact Sydni Dunn, LSU College of Engineering, 225-578-5706, sydnid@lsu.edu