SMU Engineering students mentor young girls in science.

Less than 20 percent of engineering college graduates today are female. The Gender Parity Initiative is the SMU School of Engineering's plan to have women represent half of SMU's engineering graduates. Currently, through student recruitment and retention efforts, SMU is among the top universities in the country, with women making up 35 percent of our engineering graduates. Through programs like the Gender Parity Initiative and WISE, which helps interest and prepare younger girls for higher education in math and science, SMU is helping to change the face of engineering.

Initiatives like Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) open the door for more women in engineering. Through WISE, SMU students mentor fifth and sixth grade girls with the goal of encouraging them to pursue education in the sciences. Four area DISD schools participate, sending 15-20 young students who are identified for their interest and potential in math and science. SMU students mentor these girls in a series of Saturday events that includes demonstrations, speakers, social events and hands-on experimentation.