Transcript SWE-EWS Best Practices

BEST PRACTICES
Eastern Washington Section
Celebrating 30 Years
1976-2006
Acknowledgements
 This presentation is based on interviews
Joan Young did with Wanda Munn, a
SWE-EWS Charter Member, and input
from section members.
 Photos are from Wanda’s scrapbook
SWE-EWS Members in the
Audience
 Alicia Boyd - Vice President
 Wanda Munn - Section Historian & Go-To
Woman
 Pam Ankrum - Section Co-Rep
 Chryssie Nigl - Secretary
 Joan Young - President
Discussion Topics
 History & Background of SWE-EWS
 Best Practices
 Audience Discussion & Questions
The Beginning
The Eastern
Washington Section
of the Society of
Engineers
Chartered
June 23,1976
SWE National
Conference
Denver, Colorado
The Beginning
 SWE-EWS was chartered by
National President of SWE,
Arminta Harness in 1976.
 Arminta was technical
advisor to Westinghouse
Hanford. Former
Lieutenant Colonel in the
Air Force.
 View video clips from
Arminta Harness's oral
history interview on SWE
website.
“Dream what you dare to dream,
go where you want to go, and be
what you want to be. And I think that
kind of sums up my life.”
Early Goals
 Two goals at time of chartering:
 To establish a legitimate place in the
technical world for female engineers; and,
 To encourage more women to become
engineers
These goals still inspire what we do
today and are the sources of our Best Practices...
Best Practice #1
Target your Audience
 Success required
learning basic marketing.
 Hosted many different
conferences and events
open to all local women.
 Conferences raised
money and awareness
of new SWE section.
Women in Engineering Conference 1978
Popular topics were “Investing” and “How
to Pack for Travel”
Women, Finance, and the Law
Conference in 1978
Best Practice #2
Raise Awareness
Example #1: Expanding Your Horizons
Expanding Your Horizons
Expanding Your Horizons
http://www.expandingyourhorizons.org
…because the next generation is
important!
Best Practice #2
Raise Awareness
Example #2
"Science Expedition Day" for
Junior Girl Scouts (ages 8
to 11)
When: Saturday, March 4, 2006
9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Kiwanis Building at
Columbia
Why: ExxonMobil program
development grant
Best Practice #2
Raise Awareness
Example #3: Judging the Local Science Fair
Special Awards 2006 Corporate and Professional Society Awards
51st Mid-Columbia Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Society of Women Engineers
Taylor Vance Best 6th Grade Female Science Fair Project
Sarah Smith Best 7th Grade Female Science Fair Project
Danielle Bright Best 8th Grade Female Science Fair Project
Elvira Chiprez Best 9th Grade Female Science Fair Project
Morgen Anyan Best Senior Female Science Fair Project
Honorable Mentions: Tensie Petersen, Jordan Kerslake, Mariya Afonina, Marisol Garza,
Catalina Alverez, Haydee Navarro, Noemi Correa, Mayra Serna, Ashley Talbert, Jacqlyn
Brown, Megan Loroche, Brittney Schuler, Monica Freshley
Best Practice #3
Creation of Scholarships
 In the early years, scholarships were
granted whenever funds permitted.
 Current Scholarships:
 Wanda Munn Scholarship
 New in 2006: EWS-AREVA Scholarship
Best Practice #4
Recognize Members
 Nominating members for awards raises
awareness of SWE and female engineers.
 Tri-City Engineer of the Year Winners:
 Wanda Munn
 Pam Ankrum
 Barbara Philipp
 SWE’s Distinguished New Engineer Award:
Cherri DeFigh-Price.
1983 - Distinguished New
Engineer
Cherri DeFigh-Price
She is currently the Director of Engineering Standards
with CH2M Hill Hanford Group, Inc.
Best Practice #5
Have a Strong Core Group





Wanda – the Historian
Pam – the Brain
Sandy – the Scholarship Queen
Nguyen – the C of M Guru
Jenny – the Web Goddess
Best Practice #6
Match Tasks to Personalities
This Helps Keep Turnover Low
 Section Co-Representatives
 Certificates of Merit
 Needed new approach to fundraising in early
1980s.
 At first, no one was assigned responsibility
for the certificates.
 Now: one constant, contact name on
webpage, one person in charge of mailing,
and Treasurer acts as liaison and handles
money.
Best Practice #7
Find a Niche
 Certificates of Merit
 Clothing Sales at National Conferences
 We identified a niche that was not being met, and
made items that appealed to all members.
 Selling at National Conferences resulted in some
money, and gave EWS a larger presence at the
conferences.
My SWE
Shirt is
Amazing!
Best Practice #8
Provide Leadership Opportunities
 SWE-EWS gave its members lots of leadership
opportunities at a time when they weren’t
available professionally. These opportunities
are still important for younger members today.
 Many members have gone on to significant
leadership positions professionally and within
SWE.
Danell Friar, Charter Member
Edna Bowman
Wendy Moore
Patricia Eng, another
founding member, Program
Executive and Risk
Management Officer for
Advanced Capabilities and
Exploration at NASA
Best Practice #9
Don’t be Afraid of Big Events
 Having a large, long-term goal that requires
lots of planning can motivate current members,
attract new ones, and gives everyone
something important to rally around.




1988 “The Dream Begins with You”
1996 National Conference
2004 Region J Conference
2006 Engineers’ Week Banquet
Winner of numerous outstanding section awards
1989
1996 National Conference in
Portland, Oregon
 In the 1990s, National Conferences were
hosted by individual sections. Our section was
too small to undertake one alone, so we
introduced the idea of a Region hosting the
Conference.
 Portland, Seattle, and EWS worked together to
produce the 1996 National Conference in
Portland, Oregon.
2004 - Region J Conference
SWE-EWS Hosts Engineers
Week Banquet 2006
Connecting Educators to
Engineering
 Dr. Bonnie Dunbar,
President & CEO of
The Museum of Flight
and former NASA
astronaut was our
keynote speaker.
 Dr. Dunbar is
originally from
Outlook, WA.
Marie and Pam Describe
EWeek
Dr. Bonnie Dunbar
Dr. Dunbar autographing pictures
th
30
Birthday Celebration
Society of Women Engineers
 Advance
 Aspire
 Achieve
 And We Do!
We Believe!