The University of Rhode Island chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) recently returned from their organization’s national conference with an award, a stronger bond between members and some great memories.

With more than 12,000 attendees and 400 companies represented, the conference is the largest in the world for women engineers. It was held Oct. 18-20 in Minneapolis, Minn. The theme of this year’s conference was “Let’s Break Boundaries.”

The 12 students representing URI attended workshops on leadership, outreach, diversity, inclusion, cultural awareness, career management, life transitions, innovation, and much more. They were accompanied on the trip by faculty advisor Valerie Maier-Speredelozzi, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering.

URI was one of 15 school to receive the Silver Mission Award for embodying the SWE core values of integrity, inclusive environment, mutual support, professional excellence and trust, and for demonstrating continuous improvement and growth.

“The trip was an amazing experience that helped us grow as a club and as individuals,” said Rebecca Myers, president of the URI chapter. “We gained valuable knowledge and connections through the workshops and career fair. Some of our members even received job interviews.”

Some of the industry professionals representing their companies were former URI SWE members.

“It was great to reconnect with URI alumni who live all over the United States and hear about what it’s like to work for their company,” Myers stated.