Women in untraditional majors
Sometimes it takes a lot to stand out, but at USU female students in the actuarial science and engineering departments feel like they do.
According to Jennifer Pearson, a sophomore in actuarial science, about one-fourth to one-third of her classes are made up of girls. which is not like being a woman in engineering.
Though she is not the only girl in her class, there is a distinct majority of men, and she thinks there is a reason for that. Pearson said in part, it’s because women aren’t pushed as much toward math and science as boys are.
She said the environment at USU may be more conducive for women to go into different professions.
“Most girls at USU want to get a degree that is quick and that you can work right away with and have a family at the same time,” Pearson said.
However, being a women in actuarial science does have its perks, at least for Pearson.
“I’m pretty good at (math), so sometimes I get to feel smarter than the boys,” she said.
Amy Jo Bowdidg, a sophomore in aerospace engineering, said she is entering into the profession so she can get as close as she can to space without having to enlist and become a test pilot. Her dream job is to build rovers for Mars and work for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory division at NASA.
Overall, the engineering degree that has the most USU women in it is probably mechanical engineering, with five in the graduating class this year, according to Ashley Kelly, a senior in mechanical engineering.
For Bowdidg, getting a degree in aerospace engineering means she is doing something not a lot of other women do. But Bowdidg said the numbers of women in the major are increasing. When her dad went to USU, there were no women at all in engineering degrees in general, and now about 23 women are members of Society of Women Engineers.
However, many other schools have more women in engineering than USU, Bowdidg said. When the SWE attended a conference recently, more than 500 schools had far larger chapters than USU.
For Bowdidg, being a woman is both a blessing a curse. Each professor she’s had reacts differently when girls are in the classroom.
“In some classes, the teachers don’t even notice, and others, they give the girls special treatment, and sometimes the teacher pushes us harder to succeed.”
-skjohnson@cc.usu.edu