In 2021, the Association for Women of Color in Engineering was formed at the University of Cincinnati with the mission of providing an inclusive space and voice for women-identifying engineers of color. Since then, the student group has built a strong foundation, and its membership and impact continue to grow.

For co-presidents Megan Sheth and Chloe Rajbhandari, the group has shaped their UC experience. 

"I joined as a freshman because I really wanted to get involved," said Sheth, a mechanical engineering student who is graduating in the spring of 2025. "Right away I realized this was a community I needed and that I'd never had before." 

The retention rate of women in engineering, as well as people of color in engineering, is much lower compared to other demographics. For students, having a community of people who have shared experiences and backgrounds, especially on campus, is invaluable. 

"We're trying to create a community to make college a little bit easier. We want to help people stay in school and feel included," said Rajbhandari, an environmental engineering student who will graduate in 2026. 

The event consisted of three sessions: a professional-wear fashion show, a vent session, and uncomfortable conversations in the workplace. Each of the three sessions had its own goal. The professional-wear fashion show aimed to kick off the event in a fun, celebratory way that challenged attendees and association members to step out of their comfort zone. Sheth shared that this portion was a major success, even having industry professionals participate. The vent session was meant not only to introduce attendees to an association signature event, but to center the discussion around diversity, equity and inclusion, creating a safe space for people to ask questions and share their experiences. To close the session, the group brought in Amy Blankenship, the CEAS embedded mental health counselor, to share resources available for students in need. The final session on uncomfortable conversations in the workplace, was inspired by lived experiences association members had shared in the past during vent sessions. During co-op and in other professional settings, comments and questions inappropriate for the workplace had been directed towards members. Sheth and Rajbhandari created this session to address, inform, and prepare people for these situations. 

"We wanted to make sure people who are entering co-ops are prepared for and educated on how to respond in these situations," Sheth said. 

This session was led by Associate Dean Whitney Gaskins and was a productive and eye-opening portion of the event. Following the association's first-ever Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Day, Sheth and Rajbhandari are looking ahead to the next one following positive feedback. 

The Association for Women of Color in Engineering sent several members to Detroit, Mich., for a Women of Color in STEM conference. Photo/Provided