The Society of Women Engineers met for the first time Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Founder Courtney Mahugu started the club to provide women interested in engineering fields with the support of women with similar ideas and goals.

“I wasn’t aware that there was an engineering class in Mill Valley and I wished there was a club that would have informed me more about engineering and the fact that it’s a profession,” Mahugu said. 

A typical meeting begins with a small game and a short informative presentation to teach members about Inventor, a design modeling software, in addition to the types of engineering along with skills needed in each field. 

Meetings are “a safe place so women can get used to the idea of being in an engineering field before we go out into the male-dominated field,” Mahugu said. 

By the end of the year she hopes to have members work on projects to showcase their skills to middle and elementary school students. 

Engineering teacher Gayle Kebodeaux sponsored the club to support Mahugu’s idea to reach out to younger girls.

“We are gonna teach them about how to use Inventor to 3D print so they can have something tangible to take home,” Kedodeaux said. 

The Society of Women Engineers will provide a safe educational environment for women interested in advancing their knowledge, and show younger girls they have an option to enter the field. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, Sept. 28 in room C107.