TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Society of Women Engineers student chapter is celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring.

UA alumni, current members and prospective members of the society recently gathered at the University Club in Tuscaloosa for a luncheon to honor the association’s 25 years of achievements. A presentation about the contributions of past presidents was given at the event; and Kathy Mergl, a graduate of Penn State, and past SWE Region D director and 2003 national conference chair, addressed the attendees about the society’s accomplishments.

SWE members at UA are involved in community enrichment projects such as tutoring students from Holt High School and sponsoring an engineering day for Girl Scouts to promote their interest in math and science. The group’s future plans include working on engineering calculations with groups of fourth graders to strengthen the children’s math and science skills.

"Involvement in SWE helps engineering students develop leadership skills and encourages them to become well rounded — not only excelling in academics — but assisting with community programs as well," said Tuscumbia’s Jenny Taylor, current president of the UA chapter and a senior in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering.

Taylor said she has also made career connections through the organization. "Through meeting alumni at conferences I have been able to develop valuable networking skills that will help me after I graduate in May 2001," she said.

Past members of UA’s SWE include Tonya Andrews, who works with Teledyne Brown training astronauts to conduct experiments in space, and Stephanie Swindle, a nominee for the 2001 Young Engineer of the Year Award in Birmingham.

The UA chapter will co-sponsor the SWE national conference in 2003 in Birmingham.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering has about 1,900 students and more than 90 faculty. It has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.