To support WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Acadia’s priority of mentoring students, the third biannual WISE Works! will be held on Sept. 30 from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Sheldon L. Fountain Learning Commons at Acadia University.

WISE Works! provides an opportunity for students from all academic programs to talk with female alumni in STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Since the summer, a WISE Works! Planning Group has been working on this student-centered event to provide career mentoring to students, an on-going priority originally identified by WISE Acadia in 2014.

The popular program will begin with a plenary given by Acadia alumna, conservation biologist Dr. Donna Hurlburt (’97), whom many will remember as the former Aboriginal Student Advisor at Acadia. Donna is now employed by the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry as the Manager of Biodiversity and she will speak to those in attendance about her career path.

Immediately following the plenary there will be an opportunity for students in attendance to talk with some of the 16 WISE Advisors.  Set up in a speed-meeting style, students will be able to talk with up to six WISE Advisors about their careers, including how the liberal education provided by Acadia was important to their success.

The WISE Acadia alumni participating on Sept. 30 graduated from 13 schools and departments at Acadia, spanning the Faculties of Pure and Applied Science, Professional Studies and Arts.

The WISE Works! Planning Group, made up of faculty and students, was very pleased with the alumni response to participation in the event, and we appreciate the grant we recently received from the Acadia Alumni Association to support the event. We anticipate a significant turnout of faculty, staff and students if attendance at the previous two WISE Works! sessions is any indication.

More information about the event can be found on the WISE Acadia web page, including details about those participating as career mentors. Acadia alumni make a different to our students!

Submitted by: Dr. Glenys Gibson; Prof. Barb Anderson

WISE Acadia

Pictured above: Dr. Donna Hurlburt with a group at her ‘table’ at a previous WISE Works!