100+ Women Strong
100+ Women Strong is an initiative designed to fuel the College of Engineering’s priority to inspire, recruit, retain, graduate, and launch more CSULB women engineers into successful careers. Showing young women that they can – and how to - reach their dreams through an engineering education, will take a village of women professionals of all career stages.
Support the CSULB College of Engineering in activities and events to inspire, recruit, retain, graduate and launch women engineers into successful careers, with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of young women in the field.
Young women, both prospective and current CSULB students, will learn about the broad landscape of engineering career options and the power of an engineering education to make them who they want to be - the drivers of change and solvers of problems. They will have the confidence to know they can do things that seem hard now. They will meet and have meaningful interactions with women who they admire and want to emulate, receiving substantive guidance and/or career connections. They will develop their
identities as engineers, and have the supportive network needed to persist and be successful in the field. CSULB’s College of Engineering will be the first choice for women because they know they will have a “secret weapon” in 100+ Women Strong.
- Direct access and support through networking with a wide range of successful women engineers and computer scientists.
- A sense of belonging, both on campus and within the professions they are exploring
- Development of “engineering identity” via meaningful contact with women they admire and relate to
- Awareness of the role of engineers in solving some of the world’s most difficult problems
- Awareness of the variety of purposeful and interesting work done by engineers
- Improved perceived image of women engineers, changing of mindset
- Increased retention, persistence, and degree completion
- Increased internship opportunities and connections within their chosen field
- Improved confidence and career readiness
- Connections within their chosen field that help them land their first position
We are asking 100+ Women Strong members to engage in high-impact actions that women professionals are uniquely-positioned to provide, and add much-needed enhancement to ongoing College activities.
Conference: In coordination with College of Engineering staff activate and promote the annual 100+ Women Strong Engineering Conference. Secure conference sponsorships with COE staff support sufficient to provide for all costs of the conference.
Mentoring: Participate in College of Engineering career-focused events; examples include remote or in-person flash mentoring, panels, and “Ask Me Anything” expert talks.
Professional Access: Participate, or secure your company’s participation in, internship fairs, student design or research projects, COE recruitment events, and the like. Act as an ambassador to open doors for COE graduates in your company and make introductions, whenever possible.
Amplify: Share College of Engineering and 100+ Women Strong messaging on social media.
Expand The Village: Identify, nominate, and invite members who are committed to building a tidal wave of women engineers, with the aim of 100+ Women Strong membership reflecting our student population as much as possible.
Membership will be a coveted professional honor, and meaningful volunteer experience, by invitation of the Dean. The membership term is one year for members at large. Members of the Steering Committee, headed by a Chairperson, will be asked to commit to two-year terms. The Chair, supported by a Vice Chair, will act as the liaison between the Dean and the membership.
New members can be identified and nominated by any member, CSULB faculty or staff, or the Dean. The steering committee reviews and approves nominations to advance to the Dean for final approval. Each year, members at large will be asked to renew their commitment. If a member has not engaged in any of the activities outlined above, they will not be asked to renew their commitment and will be removed from the CSULB College of Engineering website and 100+ Women Strong roster.
Donations are not required for membership in 100+ Women Strong, but individual and corporate donations are heartily encouraged and will be celebrated. From time to time, COE Development staff will bring special giving opportunities identified by the Dean to the membership. Examples include a 100+ Women Strong named scholarship, or funds for students to attend leadership trainings or other career development.
“Note: CSULB events and scholarships are open to all CSULB students, regardless of sex/gender, race/ethnicity, religion, etc.”
