I received a letter yesterday from a young lady who graduated last year. As part of an Intro to Engineering course she was asked to write a letter to someone who had inspired or encouraged her to study engineering. Although she was only a member of our team for 1 year, she explained how it impacted her to see a woman who showed it was possible to have a career as an engineer and be a mom who was involved with and available to her kids too. She expressed how just 1 year empowered her and inspired her to want to be a mentor when she graduates. It may seem like a small thing but this letter meant a great deal to me.
She particularly mentioned a lunch we had the day before champs last year, where a few of the girls (3 students, myself, and another mom - who also has a job in a male dominated field) sat in the restaurant as we ate (and long after
) talking about work and family and the possibilities in life. In fact it was such an interesting conversation (in a rather empty restaurant) that a younger woman from a nearby table stopped over to offer her own insight as well. This was not something we planned it just happened by circumstance, but it was a moment that affected her perception of her future. Thinking back on it now, it was a bonding moment for us all.
So, yes, you never know what opportunities will present themselves and how they will affect our students. So glad I was part of this memory.