Twenty-Three Girls Complete Colorado State’s Inaugural Saturday Morning Engineering Club: Program Receives Funding for Second Session

Twenty-three Fort Collins area grade school girls will participate in a Colorado State University graduation ceremony April 5. The special ceremony honors the children for completing the Saturday Morning Engineering Club, a sixteen-week educational program designed to get young women interested in math and science. The free program, sponsored by Colorado State’s Women and Minorities in Engineering Program, demonstrates to girls in grades 4 through 6 that engineering is fun and something that they can do. Saturday’s graduation activities will be held at the Fort Collins Marriott, from 9-10:30 a.m.

Led by female engineering and science students at Colorado State, girls participating in the club explore engineering using hands-on activities such as bridge building, photography, water filtration and Web page design.

"Through fun activities, such as designing shoes, making cosmetics and building structures, the Saturday Morning Engineering Club is getting girls interested in math and science at a young age," said WMEP director Benita Phillips. "The girls have really enjoyed the inaugural program, and because of its success, Xcel Energy Foundation is funding a second session this fall."

The Xcel Energy Foundation is extending their funding of the Saturday Morning Engineering Club for another eight week program beginning Sept. 1. Enrollment is limited to 30 girls. Parents of interested students should contact their daughter’s teacher to get an application form.

The Women and Minorities in Engineering Program provides information and resources as well as academic and professional development programs for women and minority engineering students. Through a variety of activities, WMEP enhances students’ academic potential and professional growth while at Colorado State and strives to provide students with opportunities to explore the possibilities that engineering careers can offer.