FWSWE had a phenomenal time at #WE18 this year at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minnesota. This year’s theme was “Let’s Break Boundaries.” 14,000 SWE members participated in the conference, including our own Sherry Williams, Hope Schwalls, Liberty Schmidt, Carolyn Cooper, Candy Robinson, and Carol Raburn.
Notable events include walking the Mall of America, visiting the Mary Tyler Moore statue, and hearing keynote speaker and Lockheed Martin CEO, Marillyn Hewson. This was a particularly impactful moment for Lockheed Martin aeronautical engineer, Hope Schwalls. “A quote that resonated with me by Marillyn was: ‘Rely on what you bring to the table,'” states Schwalls. SWE members took this quote to heart as Lockheed Martin made 160 offers on-site at #WE18.
Schwalls, a past Region Governor, also participated in the Society Senate meeting in addition to her responsibilities in the Strategic Planning sub-team and Senate & Bylaws Committee.
Candy Robinson, a Lockheed Martin Software Engineering Associate Manager and IEEE President, was most impressed by the vast amount of leadership workshops offered by #WE18. Most notably, Robinson appreciated workshops over cognitive technologies, communication influences, and the latest statistics over women in engineering. Robinson reflects, “Where else can we get off the daily treadmill and really focus on our career strategies? SWE provides a powerful network. I highly recommend attendance for women engineering professionals and students.”
FWSWE was particularly excited to participate in #WE18 this year, because we announced and sold our new merchandise, including the racerback tank top, SWE t-shirt, and SWE hardcover notebook. FWSWE profits were $1,700. Thank you to President Sherry Williams for hosting the Boutique on-site during #WE18.
