Society of Women Engineers takes on national conference

Society of Women Engineers (SWE) prides itself on being a club that empowers and connects women, nonbinary and LGBTQIA+ students. As a college chapter of an international society, its value lies in the connections and resources it provides to members, says the CSUN club President Jazmin Perez, a senior majoring in computer science and minoring in Chicana/o studies.

That value becomes most apparent each year at the SWE national conference, where members have the opportunity to network, attend panels and secure prime internships. Last year several members were tapped for interviews, ultimately securing dream internships at Raytheon and Rocketdyne. This year’s event was held virtually from November 2-13. SWE provided support for club attendees by publicizing deadlines, sharing tips for navigating the conference and equipping new members with the tools to be serious contenders for opportunities.

The CSUN chapter has always been tight-knit. In the past, they forged their connections in a dedicated meeting space in Jacaranda Hall. But since the pandemic, they’ve embraced online tools to stay connected. The club has an active Slack channel, an Instagram page (@csun_swe) that they use to publicize events, and a special Canvas page where members can find announcements and event recordings.

Most recently, SWE hosted a panel of five female professors across a range of disciplines in the engineering department to discuss their professional experiences outside of teaching and what inspired their STEM careers. The club aims not only to provide opportunities but to inspire one another as well.

“I see this club as a safe space for students,” said Perez, who hopes to secure a full-time software engineering job after graduation. “It can be isolating to be a woman in computer science, but through SWE we’ve stayed connected. And kept our social lives alive!”