Engineering is one of the highest paid careers available in the United States, but some women are getting left behind. A new club on campus wants to change that.
A group of women studying STEM at WSU Vancouver founded a student club called the Community of Women Engineers last semester. According to the club’s community outreach coordinator, Melissa Zapp, the club exists to strengthen the connection between women in engineering and the community that surrounds them.
Engineering is one of the most male-dominated industries and has a 10.8 percent gender wage gap. With fewer women in engineering, and the pressure of earning less than men, it makes being a woman in the field intimidating.
The club’s community outreach coordinator Melissa Zapp said the club believes outreach to girls in local schools is important. “We go to Discovery Middle School and actually twice a month we speak to girls about engineering topics,” she said. Going to talk to young girls in school can help them overcome the social norms that make girls feel like they can’t go into engineering, she explained.
When young girls are taught about engineering, they open a door to a new generation of female engineers. Lindsey Robinson, treasurer for CWE stated, “We really just are out to encourage younger women that are maybe scared to enter the field or what not to be able to strive to do. Like it’s possible—we’re here—we’re doing it. You want to encourage others to do it.”
The club tries to encourage girls to make mistakes and teaches that challenges are essential to growth. “In engineering, I’ve had to learn that you have to be willing to fail,” explained Zapp. She, along with President Brittany Wood, encourage girls to not be afraid to fail or get challenged in their major because it helps them grow and nothing should discourage them from following their passion.
The women from CWE also believe the wage gap needs to be a global conversation, but are trying to do their part to stop the divide between men and women in the same career.
The women from CWE believe the wage gap needs to be a solved as part of a global conversation. They also say they want to bridge the divide between men and women in the same career. They want to recruit both men and women to create an environment of support and success.