November/December 2013

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PITT SWE

Volume 2, Issue 3

November/December 2013 Edited by: Christine Bontempi

Pitt SWE Societal Awards

Upcoming Events

National News

January

Written By: Christina O’Donnell

1/8- Welcome Back GBM

At WE13, the Societal SWE Annual Conference, Pitt SWE won two awards. The first award was the 2013 Collegiate Membership Recruitment Award for large sections. This followed from our section increase of our Societal membership by 127%! The second award was the Silver Level Outstanding Collegiate Section for large sections. We are very proud of our section, and we hope to keep earning awards as the years progress.

1/17-Ice Skating in Schenley 1/23-Harassment Workshop 1/28- Death by Chocolate

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Pitt SWE Societal Awards Upcoming Events Girl Scout Engineering Day Ronald McDonald House National News Holiday Party Regional News Networking Dinner

Pitt SWE Conference attendees with our awards!

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Girl Scout Engineering Day Outreach Written By: Lisa Cross We hosted a Junior Girl Scout Engineering Day on Saturday November 23rd. There were many stations that represented multiple types of engineering. At each station, the volunteers explained what their specific engineering discipline was, and then the girls performed a related activity.

There was a great outcome, with a total of about 30 Girl Scouts in 4th and 5th grade in attendance!

The girls enjoyed the activities, especially making lip gloss at the chemical engineering station and bracelets from recycled materials for environmental engineering. Other activities included building toothpick and marshmallow bridges, creative “prosthetic hands” (inventions of string, straws, and pipe cleaners to pick up objects), and coloring individual “pixels” (small squares of paper) to make a large picture. It was a great way to promote women in engineering and provide knowledge of the many options within the field. I remember multiple girls telling me that they want to be engineers when they grow up! At the end of the day, the girls had a few souvenirs from the activities and a certificate of completion to take home with them.

Ronald McDonald House Service Written By: Alicia Kolling On Wednesday, November 20th, SWE members traveled to the Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh to serve dinner. The RMH Charities provide temporary housing to families whose children are receiving medical treatment. Having volunteers cook and serve dinner allows families to focus on the treatment of their children rather than worrying about having to cook or purchase dinner.

SWE members served spaghetti, salad and bread.

The residents were very welcoming and the experience was heartwarming for all who participated.

Cooking at Ronald McDonald House

Apply to SWE Scholarships SWE National Written By: Christine Bontempi Applying For SWE scholarships is easy! Sophomores through graduate students need to only fill out one application to be considered for all of the 200 scholarships amounting to over $550,000! The deadlines for this year’s applications are between December 1, 2013 and February17, 2014.

Volunteering at Ronald McDonald House

For more information on SWE scholarships, eligibility requirements, and the apply, visit https://scholarships.swe.org/applications/login.asp University of Pittsburgh – Society of Women Engineers – November 2012 - 2

SWE RIDDLE Pitt SWE would like to challenge you to a riddle! The first University of Pittsburgh student to email PittSWE@gmail.com with the correct answer will receive a $10 dollar gift certificate as a reward.

A merchant can place 8 large boxes or 10 small boxes into a carton for shipping. In one shipment, he sent a total of 96 boxes. If there are more large boxes than small boxes, how many did he ship?

SWE Holiday Party!

Regional News Region G Written By: Christine Bontempi The Region G Collegiate Team is a great resource for the Pitt SWE Chapter.

The Region Collegiate Team’s (RCT) long-term goals are to: • Drive continual improvement in the collegiate experience within the Region • Continue to develop strategic goals that address the key collegiate issues in the Region • Deliver at least one new program, initiative, or improvement to the region to address a key collegiate issues in the Region each year • Annually revisit, update, and revise the key collegiate issues in the Region

Social Written By: Sarah Pachesky

Networking Dinner

Twas the week of Fall finals and all throughout Pitt Students were frantic with papers to submit Though in Benedum Hall, what should appear But SWE’s Holiday Party, the best of the year

Professional Event Written by: Erica Stevens

President – Christina O’Donnell

‘Twas the week before Thanksgiving and all across Pitt Excitement was building; this was finally it!

Dinner with Professionals, a mighty fun time.

(Networking meetings can be tough to rhyme.)

Down at Joe Mama’s arose such a clatter: Meeting attendees engaging in chatter.

Students were 16, professionals five.

With topics of interest, the place was alive.

We heard of careers, of successes and flops.

The perspective they gave, it simply was tops.

Thanks to TBP and, of course, SWE, The talk was all good and the food was all free.

The meeting was done and we all said goodbye, To this dinner with SWE and Tau Beta Pi. So plan to come next year, to dine and to schmooze.

Vice President – Christine Bontempi

Who knows? Maybe next time we’ll include steak.

Pitt SWE held their Annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 11th during Finals Week.

Most engineers need a break from all that studying, so the party was very well attended. SWE provided students with burritos and tacos from Chipolte, hot chocolate, coffee and cookies. The Polar Express played in the background as students made holiday cards for local hospitals. This was SWE’s last event of the semester and wrapped up the year on a very merry note.

Pitt SWE Officers

Secretary – Sarah Pachesky Treasurer – Dhanu Thiyagarajan University of Pittsburgh – Society of Women Engineers – November 2012 - 3

To stay updated on news and events visit our website www.pitt.edu/~pittswe.

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