Helping Her Rise
by Kate Seo
For the sixth year in a row (excepting 2020 and 2021, because of pandemic precautions), the ECE department has exhibited its enduring dedication to experiential learning and professional development by sending six seniors to the Society of Women Engineers’ WE24 conference in Chicago. As the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology, WE24 offered unique opportunities to network with professionals, attend skill-building workshops, and gain career insights from industry leaders. The Boston University chapter of SWE sent a delegation as well, made up of students from all of BU’s engineering departments.
WE24 offered a dynamic three-day agenda aimed at equipping women with valuable tools to advance their professional journeys as engineers. A highlight was the world’s largest career fair for women in engineering and technology, which featured 450 actively-recruiting organizations. Attendees also had access to more than 200 professional development sessions that covered topics ranging from project management and behavioral interviews, to robotics and aerospace engineering. Of the many workshops that were offered, the RockSTAR session was singled out for high praise by students for its applicability in interviews.
“I particularly enjoyed attending a workshop on how to use the STAR method to succeed during a behavioral interview,” said Stephanie Rosenburg, ME ‘25, who is a member of BU SWE. “I was able to employ these skills in an interview I got from speaking with a company at the career fair.”
Students also praised the conference for its supportive and inspiring atmosphere, highlighting how easy it was to build connections with professionals in the industry. “I had the opportunity to attend a networking event at Whirlpool where I networked with engineers in the organization and learned more about the company,” recounted Kyla Williams, CE ‘25. Tanveer Dilon, CE ‘25, also went into the conference with expectations to “network with professionals and get the opportunity to learn about different companies and the jobs they offer,” and she was able to land interviews with recruiters on-site.
The WE24 Conference proved to be a transformative experience for ECE students, who came away with new skills, valuable connections, and a deeper understanding of the engineering industry. From attending workshops and networking events to landing interviews with top companies, the conference provided unique opportunities for the ECE seniors preparing to enter the workforce. With interest in the conference growing exponentially each year, the ECE department remains committed to supporting its students’ professional development by providing opportunities such as attending WE24.