The Division of Engineering & Information Technologies at Chattanooga State Community College recently hosted several STEM events for girls, “Introduce a Girl to STEM” and “Branch Out With STEM.” Utilizing its facilities for optimum fun and learning activities combined with presentations by STEM-specific speakers, the Engineering and Information Technology department collaborated with local partners The University of Tennessee Chattanooga and the STEM School to expose both middle and high school girls to the multifaceted pathways of STEM. 

The week kicked off with over 100 middle school girls from Chilhowee, Whitwell, Jasper, Monteagle, and Chattanooga Valley Middle Schools. Students chose a specific pathway which including three workshops, followed by lunch with a guest speaker sponsored by Associated General Contractors.

On March 6, high school girls from Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, interested in programming and coding, participated in activities focused on becoming a software engineer led by Computer Information Systems faculty. The luncheon speaker for this pathway, sponsored by Kenco, was Kristi Montgomery, vice president of Innovation at Kenco.

The Chemical Engineering and Quality Assurance /Quality Control workshops on March 7 provided students from Brainerd, Rhea County High School, and Ivy Academy with hands-on experience through workshops given by ChattState and UTC faculty. Barge Design Solutions sponsored the luncheon and provided speaker Caitlin Moffitt from their team. 

Concluding the week, students from Lafayette High School were led by UTC faculty and the Society of Women Engineers student chapter. Amanda Hodge from Denso Manufacturing was the lunch speaker.

“It was a lot of fun and really encouraged me to consider a career in engineering,” said one attending student. Another student stated, “I appreciated talking about the unique qualities women bring to engineering.” 

Two more events are scheduled for April. Chattanooga State hosts events for middle school and high school annually geared toward showing girls various views of engineering and information technology. Please contact Breanne Kintz at breanne.kintz@chatttanoogastate.eduto learn more about participating in these future events.