To give you an idea of the breadth of Duke SWE activities, you can find a sample of our past events listed below. For up-to-date information regarding current and future events, please check out our calendar.

Community Outreach

Durham Schools – This past spring, members of SWE had the opportunity to engage with local students at Durham Academy. We visited their classrooms and hosted some fun team activities to get them excited about STEM! This was a great experience to give back to the community and to answer questions from younger students who were interested in STEM as a future career path.

Technoquest – For this fall program, we teach engineering activities to Girl Scout Troops around Durham.  It is always a great experience and a lot of fun to hang around the kids in past years.

FEMMES Capstone Event – In the past, we have participated in FEMMES Day, where we do math and science activities with 4th-6th grade girls.  In the past, we have hosted two sessions: Physics Fun (center of mass demos/activities) and Colorful Bandana/Chemical Chromatography session.

Duke U (formerly known as IP College Day) – Duke U is an event helping girl scouts earn a variety of interest badges in different areas. In the past, SWE has worked with the girls to receive their “connection to motion” badges by orchestrating different investigations into characteristics of motion (energy, velocity, gravity, and momentum).  In the past, the girls have thoroughly enjoyed designing and testing foam roller coasters.

Habitat for Humanity Build – A great way to give back to our community, and see civil engineering in action, Habitat builds are a great way to build team strength and for section members to bond with each other.

Academic Development

Peer-to-Peer course selection advising during Bookbagging

Discussion about research opportunities

Food for Thought Luncheon with female professors and deans

Career Development

WE Local Raleigh (February 21-22 2020) – It is a great opportunity to become more involved within our own region, network with companies, and attend great career development workshops. This past year, we were lucky enough to have the regional conference in our own backyard in Raleigh, NC!

2022 SWE National Conference (October 20-22 2022) – Contact Katie Drinkwater if interested for more information about registering and attending.  Each year, members attend the national conference.  Not only is it a great opportunity to meet SWE members from across the United States, but it is an excellent source for finding the internship or career of your dreams.

Engineering Alumni Council Dinner – In the past, the Society of Women Engineers hosts a dinner, funded by the Engineering Alumni Council, that allows us to interact more with Pratt alumni. The dinner is a great way to learn more about Life After Duke and the various Engineering career paths that are open to Pratt graduates.

Duke TechConnect – Hosted by Duke University Computer Science Department, Pratt School of Engineering, and the Career Center, this event takes place biannually.  Tech Connect is a panel discussion and networking career fair that is less formal than Duke’s Career Fairs.  It gives students the opportunity to meet with many employer representatives, many of whom are Duke alumni.

Career Fairs – Duke Career Center organizes a career fair at the beginning of each semester.  They are a great opportunity to network with company representatives and, hopefully, land your summer or full-time internship or job.  In the past, we have also organized a group to attend N.C. State’s large career fair in the fall semester.

Resume and Networking Workshops – In the past, Hilary Allsopp, the previous Career Center advisor for engineers, routinely visited our general body meetings and gave us tips on our resumes, how to network, and so on.  Some of her powerpoint presentations and documents are available on our Resources page.

Industry Representative Presentations – Companies interested in recruiting SWE members periodically host both formal and informal gatherings specifically for SWE so that our members can meet their representatives.

Mentorship

SWE Family Program – Incoming first-years are paired with current SWE members, who in turn offer guidance and advice through the first semester at Duke, especially. If you are interested in getting involved in this program, please reach out to our VPs of Outreach and Student Affairs , Catherine Consiglio and Allison Goehringer.

Professional Mentorship Program – Current Duke SWE members are paired with local professional SWE members who have similar career interests.

Personal Development

Diversity & Inclusion talk – As a minority in the STEM field, it’s important for us women to not only recognize the obstacles that may come with this identity in engineering but to also learn how to be better allies for fellow minority groups. We were able to hear from Dr. Santillan and Dr. Payne on their experiences with their respective identities in engineering and then broke out into group workshops to further discuss diversity & inclusion.

Social

SWE Kick-off Dinner – A celebration to mark the beginning of a new school year, for first-years to meet SWE members in an informal setting, and a time to get together with your fellow SWE members to talk about classes, professors, what you did over the summer, what your plans are for the weekend, etc etc.

SWE Families Dinner – We have dinners at the Marketplace or nearby restaurants periodically so that our first-year members of SWE can get to know the upperclassmen!

Host and attend E-Socials – Every Friday, Duke’s Engineering Student Government holds E-Socials, and SWE organizes and hosts at least one E-Social each semester.

Other social events have included tea at the WaDuke, Homecoming alumni brunch, study breaks, outings, and more!