Monday marked the 10th annual NIPSCO Introduces a Girl to Engineering Day event, at which NIPSCO partnered with Girl Scouts to teach young girls about possible careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
“We feel like there are not enough women involved in STEM activities,” said Jennifer Montague, senior vice president and chief customer officer for NiSource. “That’s why we host this program yearly, to make sure these young girls understand what it takes to have a career in STEM and to be in that mindset.”
During the event, the Girl Scouts were given materials and an example model of a miniature wind turbine, which they were asked to replicate. NIPSCO volunteers tested each model to see which produced the highest energy voltage. Along with this activity, the volunteers taught the girls different safety measures that they may need on the job or in daily life.
“They are learning what it’s like to experience a downed electrical line and the smell of gas and what to do in the case of a gas leak,” Montague said. “They’re learning some of what it’s like to actually work at NIPSCO and have a career in the utility industry.”
Being a Girl Scout herself as a child, Montague now sees how important it is to invest time and programs like these in young girls.
“This is one way we can try to recruit more girls and women into these types of jobs,” Montague said. “I really do feel like that's one thing that's going to be useful for women in the future: having access to greater career opportunities.”
This program started in 2012 as part of NiSource’s Developing and Advancing Women at NiSource (DAWN) program. It has returned every year since, with the exception of 2021 when it was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It resumed virtually in 2022 and in-person this year. Many women volunteered from both the Girl Scouts team and NIPSCO staff. All the volunteers and the young girl scouts were fully immersed in the hands-on activities provided at the event.
“I love seeing all the girls get to use their brains, be creative, use problem solving, and come to the table with an awesome design. They feel good about themselves, and they're becoming more confident as they are building their design,” said Aida Haigh, manager of strategy and risk operations and president of the DAWN program. “I'm personally an engineer, so it's really near and dear to my heart. I have my daughter here participating in the event.”
The girls eagerly took part in every activity and demonstration offered at the event. Whether they built windmills or used balloons to demonstrate static electricity, the girls of many different ages worked together to reach their goals – having fun along the way.
“Right now we are building a windmill to show wind power. It’s really interesting,” Ayumi Artis, one of the younger Girl Scouts said. “I like to spend time with my friends here.”
This was her first time at the event, and she is already excited to come back again next year, just as many of the other Girl Scouts are. To learn more about NIPSCO, visit nipsco.com. For more on NiSource and its efforts to build a diverse, inclusive culture, check out nisource.com/company/diversity-equity-inclusion.