CHICAGO (April 18, 2016) – GE’s Women’s Network (WN), which has been funding scholarships through the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) for over ten years, has reached the $1 million mark in total donated funds supporting female engineering students. This year alone, WN will provide 43 scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each through the SWE scholarship fund.
“Young women rely on SWE scholarships for support as they prepare for a career in engineering and other related technical fields,” said Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of SWE. “The success of SWE scholarships is largely dependent on loyal corporate partners such as GE and its Women’s Network, which is helping to make a big impact on our future generation of engineers.”
GE’s Women’s Network
Created in 1997, the mission of GE’s Women’s Network is to cultivate women’s leadership skills, business practices, personal contacts and career opportunities. The Network has evolved into a worldwide organization of over 160 Hubs (Chapters) in 52 countries helping thousands of women around the world. This organization launched a scholarship initiative in 2002 to further educational opportunity needs to women majoring in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
“Our long history with the Society of Women Engineers exemplifies GE’s commitment to providing opportunities to women pursuing STEM careers. We have funded over 200 scholarships in the past fourteen years, and have employed scholarship recipients in internships and full time positions,” said Christine Furstoss, Vice President, Technology Director, Global Research Center, GE.
Mentoring
In addition to scholarships, WN facilitates a mentor program for women receiving funds. The Women’s Network includes more than 100,000 women role models working at GE – all who can provide experiences, best practices and knowledge for young women aspiring a career in engineering. Each scholarship recipient is paired with a mentor from the Women’s Network to help her along her journey.
Those eligible for WN scholarships through SWE include female engineering students in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering/Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering.
- WN scholarships and other scholarships offered through SWE can be accessed online.
- Click here for more information about the Society of Women Engineers’ international presence.
- For more information about GE’s Women’s Network, click here.
- For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, visit www.swe.org.
About SWE
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. The not-for-profit educational and service organization is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. To ensure SWE members reach their full potential as engineers and leaders, the Society offers unique opportunities to network, provides professional development, shapes public policy and provides recognition for the life-changing contributions and achievements of women engineers. As a champion of diversity, SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in their personal and professional lives. For more information about the Society, please visit www.swe.org or call 312.596.5223.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
