WISE Center

The Women in Science and Engineering Center 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.

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

Additionally, several WiSE activities and events satisfy many Mines Advantage requirements.

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.

We address challenges faced by women in entering STEM fields, graduating and staying in STEM professions, and advancing to corporate leadership roles.

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.