The Engineering Experience

Every year, the Society of Women Engineers hosts their annual Society of Women Engineers National Conference, the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology. As a Purdue student involved in SWE, I, along with many of my fellow boilermakers, had the honor of being sponsored by PSWE to attend the conference free of charge. Having gone to the conference as both a freshman and sophomore, I can definitely say that it has been one of my favorite experiences as a woman in engineering here at Purdue. So, what is it? The SWE Conference is a three-day event that offers endless networking opportunities, interactive workshops on leadership and engineering subjects, and even the world’s largest career fair for women in engineering and technology that features over 450 different organizations. This year’s conference took place in Chicago, IL from October 24 to October 26. The opening keynote speaker was Sharon Hong, who spoke about the intertwined nature of success and anxiet...

Every college campus is vastly different from the next, and it can be hard to get the full picture of what day-to-day life is like from a student’s perspective. Here are a few things that we think will be important and helpful to know if you are considering applying to Purdue: Food Purdue offers students a choice from 6 different meal plans: Unlimited, 14-Track, 10-Track, 7-Track, 80-Block, and 50-Block. The Unlimited option allows students to stop in to the dining halls as many times as they want throughout the week, whereas the 14, 10, and 7-Track limit students to 14, 10, or 7 swipes into the dining halls per week, respectively. The 14-Track is the recommended plan, but I was on the 7-Track and enjoyed being able to make my own meals when I did not want to go to the dining halls. Finally, students on the 80-Block and 50-Block plan can eat at the dining halls 80 or 50 times per semester. These plans are great for students living off-campus who want the option to eat on campus every o...

Each year, Purdue Women in Engineering mails out hundreds of handwritten, personalized postcards along with an information handout and a sticker to each woman who has been admitted to Purdue Engineering. The designer of the current sticker is student Olivia Baehl. Olivia Baehl is a senior in Civil Engineering with concentrations in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering from Evansville, IN. She is an ambassador for the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering as well as an active participant in the Women in Engineering Program. I sat down with Olivia and reflected with her on her experiences at Purdue. Olivia Baehl (CE '25) and the sticker she designed. Why did you choose Purdue?  “I grew up a Boilermaker, but that's not why I chose Purdue. I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue engineering and the variety of engineering disciplines that Purdue offers is what initially drew me in. I knew that I’d be able to find exactly what I wanted to choose as a career. Add...

College can be very daunting. Whether it’s coursework, networking, or just finding a place or group of people to hang out with, it can be overwhelming at first. Luckily, the Women in Engineering Program here at Purdue has lots of resources to help you through your Purdue Engineering journey! Mentee/Mentor Pair through the M&M Program Academic Resources The transition from high school to college can be tough, especially academically. To help you through this transition, the Women in Engineering and Women in Science Programs host free tutoring sessions Sunday-Thursday. The tutors require no appointments and are available both in person and online to help with most 100 and 200-level (generally freshmen and sophomore) math, science, and engineering courses. It’s a great resource to help you with your freshman year classes! Another way I like to study is with a group of friends. That’s exactly what the Women in Engineering Residential Program is designed to allow you to do. This living ...

When I first came to Purdue, I faced a lot of fears. How would I adjust from high school classes to college courses? Would I be able to balance my physical and mental health in a new environment? Could I thrive both academically and socially? While these fears were valid and I certainly didn’t have all the answers the moment I stepped onto campus, Purdue’s numerous resources provided the support I needed to succeed. Let’s look at some of my favorite campus resources so you too can be set up for success at Purdue! Academic Resources Supplemental Instruction Sessions and Office Hours While lectures cover a lot of material, I needed extra academic support for certain topics. Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions were a great opportunity to strengthen my understanding. These group study sessions, led by undergraduate students who have excelled in the course, typically accompany most First Year Engineering (FYE) classes. They focus on working through practice problems and reviewing content...