We continue to see a decrease in percentage of women entering the engineering field, a trend that will continue for the near term according to ASEE. Studies show that a large number of girls outperform boys in science and mathematics in elementary schools. However, by the time these girls are beginning to consider their college and life career, they are less and less interested in math and science. Low female student enrollment in the College of Engineering and Architecture, North Dakota State University is of particular concern as our numbers lag behind national numbers significantly. In order to increase our female student enrolment numbers we have been working offering an engineering and technology after school program aimed at fourth-through seventh-graders. This is an interactive, 10-week program that brings girls to campus to work with female engineering students. Girls are exposed to engineering and technology through demonstrations, hands-on activities, and interactions with female engineering students. In this paper we discuss the important elements of the outreach program and share both quantitative and qualitative data compiled from participants and their parents/guardians and mentors.
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