SE Texas Times

ExxonMobil welcomed nearly 100 female students from Beaumont ISD middle schools for its annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” on March 23, 2023. ExxonMobil annually hosts the event at company sites across the country with activities designed to encourage students to pursue careers in engineering.

The program seeks to promote curiosity among middle school students, and particularly help shrink the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and related fields. For more than a decade, hundreds of company employees have helped demonstrate to more than 16,000 students that engineering careers are not only exciting, rewarding and diverse, but also offer the power to make a difference in society.

“Not enough young women and girls are considering engineering, and programs like ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day’ help to narrow this gender gap present in our industry and across other fields in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Michael Mustian, ExxonMobil Beaumont Chemical Plant manager. “Each student that participates in this annual program is able to engage with women who are currently leading highly-successful engineering careers at ExxonMobil and be inspired to build their own pathway to a rewarding future.”

During the annual event, ExxonMobil employees and students from the Lamar University chapter of the Society of Women Engineers will conduct a variety of experiments and activities that introduce students to various engineering disciplines, including but not limited to building flashlights with binder clips, a battery, copper tape and an LED diode, and making circuits with playdough. 

According to the Society of Women Engineers, women account for only 13 percent of the engineering practice, which are typically high-paying and high-demand jobs.

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