STCC on mission to support women in engineering

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – As an engineering student, Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh often found herself the only woman in class. That was the case even when she became a professor at Springfield Technical Community College nearly 20 years ago.

Today, when she teaches physics at STCC, McGinnis-Cavanaugh still sees more men than women in her classroom. But McGinnis-Cavanaugh and the college are focused on providing support and resources to encourage women and people of color to consider STEM majors (science, engineering, technology and mathematics).

“It’s changing, and we’re doing what we can to create an environment where women feel welcome and engaged,” McGinnis-Cavanaugh said.

At STCC, 19 percent of engineering students were women in the fall semester of 2020, up from 13 percent in the fall of 2015.

Lara Sharp, dean of the School of STEM, said STCC uses outreach, mentorship and other tools and resources to encourage women and people of color to enroll in engineering programs. “We have partnerships with the Springfield Public Schools to enhance science, technology, engineering and math programs. That includes a focus on getting underrepresented groups interested in STEM,” she said.

In addition, STCC’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, which was founded by Professor McGinnis-Cavanaugh, connects female students with professional women, and also offers opportunities to attend national conferences.

Last year, STCC developed “We the Women,” a speaker series that celebrates achievements  by women leaders.

This is an amazing field to be in – it’s very high-paying and it’s really interesting. There’s so much you can do with the degree right now." Barbara Washburn, Professor of physics at STCC

“The series presents an opportunity for students to hear stories from women who discuss their careers, accomplishments and the barriers they face,” said Lidya Rivera Early, Director of Community Engagement. “We plan to feature women from a variety of fields, including engineering, and hope to inspire our students to get their degree and go into fields where their voices are needed.”

The following are a few of the many resources at STCC to help students, both men and women, succeed:

• Center for Access Services (CAS), which offers free school supplies and household goods and helps students overcome barriers such as food insecurity.
• TRIO Student Support Services, which helps students adjust to the college environment and helps prepare students to transition from college into a career.
• The STEM Center, which offers tutoring and other help to encourage the study of STEM.

“The men and women who make up our engineering faculty all do an excellent job inspiring our students,” Sharp said. “It’s important to have a diverse faculty who bring different points of view and life experiences. I know that our female students often are particularly inspired by the women who are teaching engineering. They see themselves in their instructors, and might think, ‘If my professor can do it, then I can.”

When she was a student at STCC, Maeliz Colon joined the Society of Women Engineers where she was mentored by McGinnis-Cavanaugh.

“I saw she was creating open spaces for communication for women in STEM and understood she was a resource when it came to trying to figure out situations beyond academics,” said Colon, who transferred to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She now works as a Quality and Safety Coordinator for Sealed Air Corp. “I am still in communication with Beth now as I navigate through my professional career and have let her know I am available as a resource for any activities at STCC.

McGinnis-Cavanaugh and the other engineering professors all have stories about making special connections with their students.  In 2018, McGinnis-Cavanaugh went to Boston with STCC grad Lineisha Rosario, a recipient of the “29 Who Shine” award.

“Professor Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh, my mentor since my first semester at STCC, helped me to grow as a female engineer,” Rosario said.

Aminah Bergeron, a STCC mechanical engineering technology student, said McGinnis-Cavanaugh helped her get accepted into a NASA summer program, where she was able to learn about space mission procedures and protocols from industry professionals.

“If it wasn’t for Professor Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh, I would not have made it this far,” Bergeron said.

Emerson Alexander, who graduated in 2020 with an associate degree in engineering and science transfer and is now majoring in biology at the University of North Carolina, said, "I had Professor McGinnis-Cavanaugh for Physics 1 and she always taught her lectures with enthusiasm, pride, and care, which was very engaging and helpful. She encouraged all the female students in the class to stop by a SWE meeting and think about joining."

Engineering professors at STCC say they make sure their students feel welcomed and accepted.

Barbara Washburn, who has taught engineering at STCC for 29 years, wants her students to know they can apply themselves and become engineers. In some cases, no one has ever told them they could make it in a STEM field.

Washburn earned a full scholarship to a four-year college where she excelled in STEM courses. “I had A-pluses in physics and no one told me I could go into engineering,” she said. “I didn’t know what it was.”

“I think it still happens that way unfortunately,” she said.

Knowing that some students might not have received the encouragement before coming to STCC, the professors see it as their mission to make sure all students feel accepted.

“I see it as a very important role to mentor all students, but we’re always on the lookout for female students because they are often isolated,” said McGinnis-Cavanaugh.

STCC Professor Sharon Sheng, an STCC faculty member of 16 years, said she knows some of her students are mothers of young children and may require some flexibility.

Washburn said she encourages female students – indeed, all students from underrepresented groups – in her classes to think about jobs in engineering as attainable and desirable.

“This is an amazing field to be in – it’s very high-paying and it’s really interesting,” she tells them. “There’s so much you can do with the degree right now."

She encourages them to attend the national conference for the Society of Women Engineers. Washburn has been to two national conferences, finding it life-changing to be among 15,000 women in her field.

“I had no idea there were that many of us,” she said, still clearly awestruck at the memory. “It was a very empowering thing.”

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequalled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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