By Barbara Davis | Staff Writer
Concluding a month of matriarchal celebration, ExxonMobil and Lamar University carried the torch for women, recently hosting a pair of events in their honor.
A celebration of women in uniform, specifically military, veterans and first responders past and present, was held to honor women who have served and to raise awareness that women can lead in the aforementioned capacities.
Lamar University’s College of Arts and Sciences teamed up with The Summerlee Foundation and the Center for History and Culture to host the event featuring keynote speaker U.S. Air Force Colonel Lisa Carrington Firman, Beaumont Police Department Public Information Officer Haley Morrow and a trio of virtual speakers.
Organized by Dr. Margot Gage, the celebration honored servicewomen throughout the Golden Triangle, displaying photos and stories of their contributions to the community and country.
Lamar University Science and Technology Department hosted ExxonMobil, welcoming nearly 100 eighth-grade girls from Beaumont ISD on March 23 for “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” an annual event held by ExxonMobil across the country, with activities designed to encourage students to pursue careers in engineering.
Keynote speaker Angie Vargas, who serves as the Beaumont area people development manager at ExxonMobil Product Solutions, a chemical engineer herself, addressed the all-female crowd. She impressed upon them that engineering is involved in a variety of industries, and can open a lot of doors.
“From petrochemical to makeup and fashion, there is a wide variety of career opportunities for you in engineering,” Vargas said. “We need strong female leaders to become engineers and engineers come from all different backgrounds.”
Seeking to promote curiosity among middle school students, and shrink the gap in science, technology, and engineering fields, Beaumont Complex Manager Mike Mustian, with ExxonMobil Product Solutions, said that young ladies who enjoy problem-solving and working as part of a team would be “right at home in the field of engineering.”
Mustian said he discovered his talents in science and math in middle school and believes it is a crucial time for students to learn what they are naturally gifted in, and begin to consider their future.
“I know from first-hand experience that being able to talk to somebody that is like you, looks like you, and has a similar background to you, is really important because then you can see yourself doing this. I am passionate about giving these girls a good start and exposure to a career field they may not know is available to them,” he said.
Concerning women in the industry, Mustian said that they bring a different perspective to the world of engineering and that their ability to quickly dissect very complex problems and multi-task sets them apart, and is a gift to their chosen field.
“What I’ve noticed about my female counterparts is how much more effective and efficient they are. It is impressive, I enjoy working alongside them, and it is my honor to present the possibility of a career in engineering to these young ladies here today,” Mustian added.
Each student that participated in the program had the opportunity to engage with women who currently lead highly successful engineering careers at ExxonMobil while participating in a variety of experiments and activities meant to introduce them to various engineering disciplines.
According to the Society of Women Engineers, women account for only 13% of the engineering practice, and together, Lamar University and ExxonMobil are doing their part to change that number, as they empower and celebrate women in the industry.