November 14, 2022

Give a girl a building block, she’ll play for a day. Teach her how to design a building out of toothpicks and marshmallows, and she’ll think about how she can build the future.

This weekend, Mizzou’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) hosted Girl Scout Day, an event for local girl scouts to learn about engineering.

“The goal of the event is to give younger Girl Scouts the opportunity to explore different areas of STEM with lots of hands-on activities,” said Natalie Camilleri, a senior industrial engineering student and SWE president.

Throughout the day, girls participated in activities inspired by civil, electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering. They also got to see a demonstration by the Student Underwater Robotics Foundation.

“If just a single Girl Scout becomes interested in pursuing engineering, the event will be a success in my eyes,” said Sophie Coday, a junior mechanical engineering student and SWE outreach director. “I hope that each girl enjoyed her day and got a glimpse of how fun engineering can be.”

Ellise Wright, a junior biomedical engineering student and SWE outreach director, agreed.

“Their energy and excitement about the activities and learning is definitely contagious,” she said. “I want them to realize that they can do anything they set their minds to, and that for them, the sky is the limit.”

One reason SWE hosts Girl Scout Day is to introduce young girls to engineering and showcase the opportunities the field provides.

“Many of our past guests have not had previous exposure to engineering,” Coday said. “Seeing them experience it for the first time is very rewarding.”

By teaching young girls about what it means to be an engineer, Coday and Wright hope that more women will pursue engineering careers and achieve industry equality in the future.

“The percentage of women in engineering is continuously growing, so it is a very real possibility that women will no longer be the minority of the field,” Coday said.

And industry equality encompasses more than the number of people in the room.

“I hope that the field consistently works toward inclusion, and with time women pursuing the field will be given the tools to feel confident and comfortable,” Wright said. “I believe the future for women in engineering is bright!”

Interested in becoming an engineer? Apply to Mizzou today!