Monash Alums give their all to future female engineers

21 May 2018

Anyone who has made her way through the male-dominated world of STEM has undoubtedly negotiated a few tricky curves. STEM careers are increasingly becoming a focus area for young people who want to make a difference, with greatest impact, due to the continuous growth of STEM as new technologies are developed. In solidarity, a group of Engineering alumnae, who began their journey at Monash, have made a personal commitment to the Female Leaders Alumni Monash Engineering Scholarship (FLAMES). Not only will they provide financial support to a female student, they will offer guidance and encouragement through mentoring, ensuring her the best possible opportunity for success.

女毕业生希望激励年轻女性explore the many places Engineering might lead too, and help her become whatever she chooses to be. “It’s lovely that this group of uni friends has now reached the stage of life where we can offer this form of support to someone just getting started,” says Rebecca Davis, Group Executive – Australia & New Zealand Markets at Quantium. “We’ve taken a range of different paths that will hopefully show the diversity of fabulous careers possible with Engineering.”

FLAMES will bolster a recipient throughout her course. “The scholarship should improve motivation and make it less likely that the student will drop out early, ultimately increasing the number of female engineers in the workforce,” explains Gabrielle Henry, Manager – Technical Services at the Essential Services Commission. “It sends a message of support to women who make bold decisions in their studies,” adds Marni Oaten, Director of Corporate Responsibility at WorleyParsons. “And they in turn will serve as successful role models for the next generation.”

The power of mentoring should not be underestimated. “Mentors support you, but also challenge you,” says Sonja Ruddock, Chief of Staff to the CIO at Bupa Australia & New Zealand. “They give you the benefit of their experience, and wisdom, years before you can acquire it yourself.” Such candid interactions with successful women will be invaluable to a FLAMES recipient. Megan Wheatley, Manager, Communications and External Affairs at Senvion Australia, confides, “I’m quite happy to share my mistakes so that someone else can learn from them, too!”

In Gabrielle’s experience, mentoring provides “a sounding board at critical career decision points and advice on difficult workplace issues.” Additionally, Nadia Odorico, Patent Attorney and Principal of an intellectual property company, sees its potential for “imparting workplace attitude, encouraging good work culture and cultivating leadership.”

“Each of us has a unique perspective so I imagine that, whatever the topic, one of us will contribute some useful input,” suggests Rebecca. “Given that we have a number of excellent mentors available to a recipient, my hope is that the right chemistry can be achieved to create a valuable foundation relationship,” adds Kate Borg, Domain Area Manager at Cross Yarra Partnership.

The group also offers a wide and diverse network, with connections to senior and prominent figures in the industry. “What I love about this scholarship is that it not only gives some financial support, but provides a student with a really interesting network of people working in very different areas, and with very different career paths,” says Megan. “This could lead to all sorts of opportunities in the future.”

Each alumna has her own personal reasons for committing time and money to FLAMES. “I really wanted to give something back to Monash Engineering,” reveals Megan. “By myself, I didn’t feel as though I could make much of a difference.” Others may have benefitted from a scholarship in the past and, like Marni, have “a strong desire to repay the sentiment and investment others placed in me.”

Another common motivation is simply wanting female engineers to have a smoother path than they themselves had. “I’d like to make sure they don’t experience the same lack of acceptance. Or come to question their confidence in this industry,” shares Kate. Likewise, Agnieszka Szczepanik, Managing Director of Felix Financial Consulting, is “deeply committed to bringing a more equal environment to all in the workforce.” As a working mother, she particularly hopes to keep women in jobs after having children.

All eight alumnae are united in their high hopes for this new scholarship. “Because we’ve made a commitment to support FLAMES for at least three years, we’ll have opportunities to reflect on how things are working, and improve our approach each year,” maintains Megan. And, as Kate so simply puts it, “Success will be that the scholarship is ongoing, and that we have helped launch the career of a special person within the industry.”