First All-Female Graduating Class of Picker Engineering School of Smith College
FIRST ALL-FEMALE GRADUATING CLASS OF PICKER ENGINEERING SCHOOL OF SMITH COLLEGE-HON. RICHARD E. NEAL (Extensions of Remarks - March 11, 2004)
HON. RICHARD E. NEAL
OF MASSACHUSETTS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2004
Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to congratulate the first all-female graduating class of the Picker Engineering School of Smith College. The Picker Program is committed to advancing opportunities for women in engineering. The engineering science program emphasizes an integrative teaching approach that will reinvent the standards of engineering and change the future.
The Picker Engineering Program has reinvented the role of engineering and thus expanded the way in which engineering students view the world. The 20 young women in the graduating class of 2004 have been exposed to an interwoven study of humanities and engineering. The creators of the academic department have redefined the standard curricula of engineering by integrating liberal arts education with traditional scientific and mathematical principles. The Picker Engineering Program stresses the importance of serving humanity and the protection of natural resources. The importance placed on environmental sustainability and social responsibility has raised the standards needed for an engineering degree.
The Picker Engineering School of Smith College will provide endless opportunities for students seeking an unparalleled education. It has already attracted a dedicated faculty and will continue to recruit superior staff and faculty. One of the highest percentages of women faculty, more than sixty percent, of any engineering programs in the country are employed by Smith College. The Picker program is a leading innovator in educating the next generation of engineers.
While women account for 45 percent of the American workforce, merely 9 percent of engineering careers are held by females. Smith College is dedicated to eliminating barriers to women in engineering while promoting interdisciplinary study. I speak on behalf of the second district of Massachusetts and the entire State in congratulating Smith College and welcoming the Picker Engineering School and its students to western Massachusetts.
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