WiSE
The Women in Science and Engineering exists to help every woman student at South Dakota Mines succeed by providing opportunities for actively engaging in the world through leadership, professional development, outreach, and activism. We welcome men and women alike who are committed to gender inclusion and helping to champion women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
Staff & Leadership
The WiSE program is part of the Division of Student Success and is led by Grisel Aguiniga Fox. Additional leadership and direction are provided by a steering committee of students, faculty, and student activities.
Grisel Aguiniga Fox, Director
605-394-5127
Grisel. Aguiniga@sdsmt.edu
Vision
The WiSE staff are committed to a campus culture that provides all students access to a full range of personal and professional choices, fosters agency and self-determination for all, and creates transformative experiences to help open the door of opportunity wide for all women students.
What is WiSE?
The Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program is designed to educate, recruit, retain, and graduate academically motivated women in STEM fields.
Components There are three components of WiSE, illustrated through monthly activities and yearly events: |
NETWORKING -- with peers through monthly WiSE programming and events |
OUTREACH -- Engaging K-12 students during outreach opportunities throughout the year |
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT -- through workshops, alumni and industry speakers, and our annual WiSE Networking Dinner |
Program Overview
WiSE provides students, with particular emphasis on women, with support, encouragement, and information intended to help them stay in STEM fields. We offer our STEMinists, as we like to call them, a host of monthly and annual events, including mentoring for all first-year women students, informal mentoring, career exploration and planning, access to professional development opportunities and professional conferences, and outreach opportunities. While our focus is on providing extra support for women students, everyone is welcome to take advantage of WiSE services. We’re here to support all students in their STEM journey, no matter their gender identity. We address challenges faced by women in entering STEM fields, graduating and staying in STEM professions, and advancing to corporate leadership roles.
Open access to the WiSE Room is available during normal business hours Monday-Friday (7:30am-4:30pm) and 24/7 with keycard access for students upon request. Please reach out to the WiSE Director with any questions or to request keycard access.
South Dakota Mines men as STEMinist champions
Male champions are an integral part of strengthening and creating opportunities for women in STEM fields. Men and women must work together to create a cultural movement of true gender inclusion. We encourage our men students at South Dakota Mines to attend events, visit the center, and be intentional champions for women in STEM.
Scholarships for Women
Kate Gleason Scholarship
- Website is: https://www.asme.org/asme-programs/students-and-faculty/scholarships/asme-scholarships-how-to-apply
- $3,000 (1 award), for study in the sophomore, junior, senior year or graduate study. Deadline March 1st each year.
- In memory of Kate Gleason, who in 1914 became the first female member of ASME and successfully paved the way for the emergence of women in the field of engineering. The Kate Gleason Scholarship will be awarded to a female engineering student who exemplifies the same entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to engineering and is currently enrolled in an engineering program in the United States.
- Applicants must be in good standing at the time of application, enrolled in an ABET accredited or substantially equivalent engineering, engineering technology baccalaureate or graduate program. The award recipient will be selected on the basis of scholastic ability and potential contribution to the mechanical engineering profession.
Lucille B. Kaufman Women’s Scholarship
- Website is: http://www.aie.org/scholarships/detail.cfm?id=10493 or http://www.smeef.org
- Female, full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a degree program in manufacturing engineering, technology, or a closely related field; GPA 3.0; completion of minimum 30 college credits. Award amount: $1,000; deadline: February 1st each year.
- Contact: SME Foundation, (313) 425-3300; foundation@sme.org
- Website is: http://www.glamour.com/about/top-10-college-women.
- Female college juniors who demonstrate leadership on campus and in the community; all fields of study.
- Awards: one award of $20,000 and nine awards of $3,000 each, plus each winner receives a trip to New York City and magazine feature. Online application, short essay, transcripts, two reference letters. Check website for new deadline – applications usually open in mid-April and close in mid-July.
- Website is: https://www.awis.org/join/
- MANY scholarships available for women in science, all education levels. Only $25 membership fee and you have access to all scholarships.
- Contact: (703) 894-4490; awis@awis.org
- Website is: http://www.google.com/anitaborg/us/.
- Female student, entering senior year or graduate level, enrolled in computer science, computer engineering, or closely related technical field; GPA 3.5; online application, resumé, transcripts, references.
- Deadline: online application available on website normally in mid-January; application deadline February 18th. Awards: $10,000 each.
Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship
- Website is: http://www.nspe.org/Students/Scholarships/legacy.html.
- $2,000 award; female engineers entering their junior year.
- 500-word essay; transcripts; resume; two faculty recommendations; deadline March 1st each year.
- Website is: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/women-at-microsoft-scholarship
- Specifically for women, minorities, persons with disabilities.
- Eligibility: GPA of at least 3.0; pursuing bachelor’s in computer science; computer engineering; or technical disciplines such as EE, math, physics and demonstrate interest in computer science; one reference; answer four questions.
- Covers full tuition for one academic year; deadline February 1st each year; must also apply for internship at Microsoft.
- Website is: https://swe.org/index.php/scholarships#activePanels
- Application for sophomores through graduate students is typically available on website December 1st through February 15th.
- Application for sophomores through graduate students is typically available on website March 1st through May 15th.
- Application for freshmen available on website March 1st through May 15th.
- Scholarship program open to SWE members and non-members (although, some scholarships do require membership); GPA 3.5 and above.
- Scholarships range from $1,000 to $20,000 each. Awards announced in summer and paid in fall. In 2012, 198 scholarships awarded totaling $577,000; local chapter awards available also.
- Contact for questions: 877-793-4636 or scholarships@swe.org
- Website is: https://www.soroptimist.org/our-work/live-your-dream-awards/index.html
- Yearly deadline is December 1st; application is submitted to region chair:
Mary Anne Prinkkila Rogers
womensoppnorthcentral@soroptimist.net
2222 N 87th Street
Lincoln, NE 68505 - Based on financial need; online application plus two references.
- Website is: https://jobs.lever.co/palantir/b349a2f5-2018-4350-914b-95fbc8c60d3f.
- Palantir launched the Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship in 2010 to celebrate and support women who are beginning careers in technology. They hope to encourage women to pursue computer science, engineering, and technical studies, and to become leaders in these fields.
- Website is: http://www.scholarshipsforwomen.net/
- Website with a comprehensive listing of scholarships only for women. Awards for a variety of majors, education levels, and backgrounds – see website for details.
- Website is: https://www.aoefoundation.org/scholarships.php
- The A.O.E. National Foundation promotes academic excellence by awarding scholarships
in varying amounts to women who promote engineering and technical science by exemplifying
high standards in:
character, conduct, integrity, academic achievement and scholastic aptitude, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. - Deadline is usually February 15th each year – continue to check back on website for next online application opening.
There are two types of scholarships offered:
Rings of Excellence Scholarship
Applicants for the Rings of Excellence Scholarship must be a member (active or alumnae)
in good standing in Alpha Omega Epsilon Sorority, or the child or grandchild of a
member in good standing. Husbands, brothers, sisters, nieces, or nephews are not eligible
to apply. The daughters and sons of deceased members, who were a member in good standing
at the time of death, are eligible. Applicants must be an undergraduate and majoring
in engineering or technical science. Applicants must have an overall grade point average
of 2.0/4.0 or equivalent.
Engineering and Technical Science Achievement Scholarship
- Applicants for the Engineering and Technical Science Achievement Scholarship must be a woman undergraduate majoring in engineering or technical science. Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 3.0/4.0 or equivalent.
- Applicant Eligibility - as a minimum: The applicant must be enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment, in an undergraduate or graduate engineering or technical science degree program as approved by Alpha Omega Epsilon National Foundation. The applicant must be enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment, in a college or university with an ABET-accredited program (SDSM&T is ABET-accredited), or in a school that has been approved by the Alpha Omega Epsilon National Foundation. The applicant must be entering their sophomore through senior year of undergraduate college for the academic year subsequent to the summer the scholarship is awarded. The applicant must be in a position to accept the scholarship in the school year for which it is being awarded. The applicant must not be receiving full funding for education from another organization (e.g., members of the Armed Services attending military academies, students receiving full tuition reimbursement. from an employer). The applicant must not have been a previous recipient of an Alpha Omega Epsilon National Foundation scholarship.
- Website is: http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/women/index.html
- IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists and inspiring girls around the world to follow their academic interests to a career in engineering.
- Awards and recognition program information can be found here: http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/women/women_recognition.html
Continue to also check back on website for the launch of the IEEE Frances B. Hugle scholarship for women in engineering. A recent IEEE newsletter that mentions that IEEE is currently funding this scholarship award and expects to start the scholarship application process this year. So check their website for updates.
- Website is: https://www.optimal.com/scholarships.
- SR Education Group is awarding a need-based scholarship of $2000 to female college students.
- To provide the judges with a true understanding of each applicant, she must answer three open-ended, personal, and thought-provoking questions. The students whose responses are the most persuasive, compelling, and well-written, as judged by our panel, will be considered finalists.
The missions of the Rapid City Branch of the American Association of University Women
(AAUW) to provide stipends for local women and girls as they try to improve their
lives through education.
Success Award applicants must:
- Be female individuals age 13 and older, United States citizens residing in the West River Region of South Dakota.
- Have a specific educational goal, program or project to be funded.
- Adhere to the AAUW mission to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
- The support given would be inclusive and could help to defray costs (tuition, gas, books, babysitting, etc.). The help requested should fit with the overall goals of AAUW.
Application usually due in March of each year, and is submitted to:
AAUW Success Award
P.O. Box 8146
Rapid City, SD 57709-8146
For questions and an application form, please contact: Judee Oldham, judeeoldham@rushmore.com, (605) 716-6722 or Terry Whiting, twhiting@me.com, (605) 348-8079.
Award announcements will be made in mid-April.
- Website is: http://www.lindalaelmiller.com
- Linda Lael Miller is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
- Linda’s scholarships are awarded annually to women who are 25 years or older, non-traditional students who have a difficult time finding scholarships for which they qualify. As in previous years, the scholarship funds may be used not only for tuition and books, but also for childcare, transportation and other expenses not covered by traditional scholarships.
- To qualify, a woman must be 25 years old or older, a U.S. or Canadian citizen attending a U.S. or Canadian college or university (any field of study) and must submit an essay. The 500-word essay includes information on why the student is applying for the scholarship, how achieving her educational goals will enhance her and her family’s future, the specific purpose for the funds and the dollar amount requested. Past winners have included single and married parents, women overcoming domestic violence, those coping with disabilities or the disabilities of family members, older students who needed to upgrade their job skills and women conquering their own early life struggles.
- Applications are usually submitted in early September, and funds are distributed in mid-December. Continue to check back on website above for next scholarship application cycle. (Scholarship money disbursed in 2012 totaled $10,000.)
- Website is: http://www.bpwmaryland.org/scholarships.asp
- “Career Advancement Scholarships” - BPW Foundation established the Career Advancement Scholarship Program in 1969 to provide financial assistance to financially disadvantaged women seeking to further their education. Scholarships are provided to women 25 years of age or older, who wish to advance in their careers or are soon to enter or re-enter the workforce.
- BPW Foundation has a special commitment to female veterans.
- These awards range from $500 to $1,000 each. The application and selection process is handled by the BPW Foundation Legacy Partners and scholarships are awarded to women in their specific geographic areas (veterans included). Women seeking scholarships should contact the BPW Legacy Partners directly to see if they are participating in the program and to obtain information about timing, rules and applications.
- For more information on a national level regarding local legacy partners, contact:
Sherry Saunders
202-777-8949
Email: ssaunders@bpwfoundation.org