KINGSVILLE, Tx — Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) is participating in the nationwide initiative “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.” The Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering hosted a day-long event for middle and high schoolers to promote the impact and accomplishments of engineers while also looking toward the future of engineering.
“It’s just one of the days in the Engineers Week celebration. We have in here more than 170 students here present with us. We want to bring awareness on what engineering is and what the field has to offer,” Dean of the College of Engineering Dr.Heidi Taboada said.
Like others, Dr.Taboada chose a career that ran in her family.
“My father is an engineer, my brother is an engineer. I was always surrounded by engineers, so since I was five I knew what I wanted to do,” Taboada said.
The college said the engineering field has multiple paths that students can take with high demand and high flexibility.
“If they want to be on the field, perfect. But if they want to work for NASA or other companies, they don’t have to be outside. They can be inside. This is a good opportunity to tell them this is a degree, there are several degrees in here that might be good for you or its something they never thought about,” Department Chair of Industrial Management and Technology Dr. Delia Valles-Rosales said.
Future engineers got up close and personal with different hands-on activities like 3D printing, virtual reality, robotics and something from each of the six departments.
They also had an opportunity to ask questions and learn about the journeys and experiences of an all-women panel of TAMUK engineering alumni. The university said although the engineering field is traditionally more male-dominated, their program isn’t.
“Now at our institution overall we have slightly more women than men. So because the field has been traditionally more dominated by males we need them to see women around them who are doing really well to then believe oh that is something that I can really do,” Vice President for Enrollment Management Rosalind Alderman said.
Santa Gertrudis seventh grader Braina Garcia said she comes from a family of engineers, and although they told her the field is difficult, she carries their words with her.
“Things are not going to be easy so if it’s hard just keep going. My dad said that it’s going to be fun. If you really like it, if you’re into it and if you’re going to work really hard it’ll be easier for you,” Garcia said.
At their age, many young women might still be undecided about what specific engineering path they want to pursue while others know exactly what they want.
“I’ve always like engineering since middle school. I used to watch a lot of YouTube and see a lot of stuff on engineering and wanted to learn more about it. I’m looking into electrical engineering. I really want to go and develop new things,” Santa Gertrudis sophomore Scarlet De La Rosa said.
Santa Gertrudis sophomore Jasleene Dossantos also grew up knowing she wanted to be an engineer and that mindset goes back to her family, as well. She wants to become a civil engineer.
“This has always been one of my favorite careers since I was a kid. My mom is really inspirational about wanting me to go into a career that doesn’t have a lot of women. She was the first in her family to go to the Navy and she was one of the first females to rise to her position so she’s always encouraged me. It’s really nice to take one of my interests and make it something my family likes and is proud of,” Dossantos said.
To end “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” Garcia leaves all girls with a final message of empowerment and encouragement.
“If you want to do engineering and someone says don’t do it its only for boys, don t listen to them, dont,” Garcia said.
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