Colleges that Prioritize Women in STEM
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“Attending a STEM college is already extremely challenging, but going to college while choosing a major dominated by men can be even harder.”-Renata Daou
During the college search, women in STEM have to not only consider which schools will be a good fit for them and will offer them the major and college experience they are looking for, but also determine if a college is equipped to support them as they prepare to enter the workforce as a minority group in their field. While gender ratios and retention rates can help discern whether a school’s climate is conducive to the success of female students in STEM majors, internal organizations and programs dedicated to this purpose and firsthand accounts of alums are essential pieces of information that reveal how hard a college truly works to put these students on a path to success with confidence.
Patterns of women in STEM majors experiencing sexism within classrooms and being overlooked to the point where they change their major or transfer occur throughout history. These patterns must be ceased, and colleges and universities cannot be afraid to be direct in their condemnation of discriminatory behaviors and their commitment to supporting their female students in STEM. The following institutions have clearly demonstrated this kind of inclusive culture and, as a result, are fantastic places to receive an undergraduate STEM education as a woman.
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State has a strong focus on extending learning outside of the classroom with networking opportunities and tech workshops offered by the Association of Women in Computing, women in engineering conferences, and mentorship programs for underclassmen. Additionally, for first-year students, the Women in STEM and Engineering Research Internship provides two semesters of faculty-mentored research to those looking to immerse themselves in their field early on.
Stanford University
In addition to being one of the most prestigious universities in the country and an outstanding place to receive a STEM education, Stanford clearly values their students from marginalized groups and has many different programs and clubs in effect to support them. They host an annual Women in STEM symposium and gives their undergraduates, especially those from underrepresented or historically excluded backgrounds, guidance and networking connections with graduate students to demystify the graduate school application process and encourage them to follow that path. As for student organizations, there seems to be one for every unique identity here, with Stanford Sisters in STEM for Black women in medicine, Hermanas in STEM for Hispanic women, and The Women of Color Research Network for women of color in the biomedical field.
University of Arizona
This university is astoundingly supportive of their female students in STEM majors, from mentorship programs with women in a student’s desired field to the Women in STEM council’s multitudes of grants and funding. Physics majors specifically have access to funding for research through the Weaver Award for Undergraduate Research in Physics and the Women in Physics club’s events and meetings.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
UMBC shows how much they care for women in STEM at their school with generous scholarships up to $15,000 for in-state students and $22,000 a year for out-of-state students. This is through their Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), which also offers their students a living-learning community, special courses, service-learning opportunities, and a network of connections made up of CWIT Scholars past and present.
University of Michigan — Ann Arbor
UMich has an impressive variety of programs in place to give their female students all of the resources they could possibly need to succeed at their prestigious institution. Perhaps their greatest offering is the Women in Science and Engineering Residence Program, a living-learning community for first and second-year students. Surrounding their students with other like-minded individuals is an incredible way to keep them all motivated and supported, as well as prevent any feelings of isolation. There is also no shortage of inspiration in the Women in Science and Engineering Program, led by successful female faculty that can serve as mentors to aspiring women in STEM.
University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill
A quick search of Chapel Hill’s support for women in STEM returns many instances of the university highlighting their students’ and alumnae’s achievements, showing immediately how much they pride themselves on the success stories that have been produced from their campus. There are clubs on both the undergraduate and graduate levels dedicated to fostering community between the women in STEM on campus and providing them with resources, programs, and events to help them thrive.
University of Southern California
USC is a model school to other colleges for not only their support for female students in STEM majors, but also for their female faculty working in STEM fields. They recognized the underrepresentation of women in their faculty decades ago and, with the efforts of the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program, have grown the number of women faculty at USC and continue to prove the prioritization of this through grants, educational workshops, research fellowships, and child care support. Creating this empowering community at the top gives underclassmen women in STEM options of accessible role models and mentors and shows them all that they deserve and have to look forward to as they advance their careers.
Honorable Mentions:
- Boston College — Their Women in STEM club matches underclassmen to upperclassmen for mentorship based on academic discipline and career interests; hosts socials to foster community, build meaningful relationships, and share resources and advice; offers career-building workshops; and sponsors biweekly discussions featuring guest speakers.
- Cornell University — The Cornell Raptor Program makes them especially perfect for those interested in biology and the environment, but the Empowering Women in Science and Engineering (EWISE) symposium and Cornell Institute for Women in Science also offer professional development and experimental and applied research opportunities, respectively.
- Mount Holyoke College — Students are encouraged to conduct independent research, join the training and support group Scientista, and participate in the many campus activities relating to STEM, such as monthly presentations, biweekly learning panels, weekly socials. In terms of mentorship and leadership, there are also plenty of resources for networking and a coordinated program for big sister/little sister pairings specifically for STEM majors.
- Rice University — Rice goes beyond just having a chapter of the organization Society for Women Engineers on campus, also hosting panels and other events for women with successful careers in engineering to share their experiences and leadership skills with students.
- Wellesley College — STEM majors are a popular choice at this highly-rated women’s college, and there are various clubs for those interests and a wealth of research opportunities for their students.
A successful career begins with a comprehensive education in a motivating environment. Colleges and universities can be changemakers in closing the gender gap in STEM if they adequately support their female students academically, professionally, socially, and mentally, and the above institutions have proven themselves to be leaders in doing this.
Sources:
https://www.collegemagazine.com/top-10-best-colleges-to-attend-for-women-in-stem/
https://study.com/resources/stem-women-college-and-career-guide
https://www.bcwomeninstem.com/
https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/3340/wise-celebrates-20-years/