Content warning: Mention of femicide
New students often find it daunting to find a community that shares their values and aspirations. At McGill, engineering students can join Promoting Opportunities for Women in Engineering (POWE), an organization that creates a sense of belonging through mentorship, professional development, and outreach.
POWE was founded to support women in engineering after the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, when a man opened fire on a group of women in a mechanical engineering class in Montreal, killing 14 and injuring 13. The club promotes and engages women’s participation in the male-dominated field by building a nurturing environment. The organization operates under three main pillars: Community, professional development, and outreach.
“Community is really about creating a supportive group on campus to lift each other up,” Ella Godun, a U4 Mechanical Engineering student and co-president of POWE, said in an interview with The Tribune. “We socialize, we support each other, and [we] remind people that they are not alone in engineering.”
Throughout the year, POWE hosts regular social events and general meetings designed to help members connect with peers outside the classroom. Activities range from casual gatherings to workshops and themed events. Alongside community building, professional development is another key focus of the club’s day-to-day. The club regularly organizes networking opportunities, CV workshops, and industry panels that connect students with professionals and alumni. One of POWE’s largest initiatives is its annual conference dedicated to women in engineering, SymPOWEsium.
“The goal is to connect current students with industry professionals and POWE alumni,” Gracie Diabo, a U3 Software Engineering student and co-president of POWE, said. “We have workshops, panels, and even a research competition where students can present their work to a panel of women professors.”
The conference has expanded in recent years. POWE collaborates with companies and student organizations to broaden opportunities for its members. Industry partners frequently participate in conferences, networking events, and workplace visits, which allow students to explore different engineering career paths. Organizers hope to continue growing the event and eventually attract students from across Canada.
“We have sponsorship packages with a lot of companies, but many of them also reach out to us to organize industry tours or send representatives to campus,” Godun said. “It allows students to see what different engineering fields actually look like in practice.”
Outreach is the final cornerstone in POWE’s mission. The club plans events aimed at high school and CEGEP students to introduce them to engineering and provide role models relatively early in their education. One of its largest events is the POWE Conference for Future Women in Engineering, which brings more than 150 high school and CEGEP students to McGill each year.
“These students get to meet women in engineering, attend workshops, and see what studying engineering can look like. It is about showing them that this path is possible,” Diabo said.
Members of POWE also participate in science fairs at local schools and offer lab tours for visiting student groups. These activities aim to make engineering more accessible and visible, and encourage younger students to consider careers in STEM.
The club’s work addresses a persistent gap in representation within the engineering profession. While women made up roughly 35 per cent of McGill’s undergraduate engineering students’ enrolment from 2023 to 2024, this number drops significantly once they enter the workforce.
“That is a big reason why POWE continues to exist,” Diabo added. “There has been progress, but there is still a long way to go in terms of representation in industry.”
POWE additionally offers mentorship opportunities for incoming students. Through its mentorship program, first-year engineering students are paired with upper-year mentors who help guide the transition to university life. For Godun, that program played an important role when she first arrived at McGill.
“I did not know anybody when I came here,” she said. “Being paired with another mechanical engineering student helped me find my footing and feel like I belonged.”
As POWE continues to grow, its leaders hope the club will remain a strong and open space where students can find opportunities and a supportive community within engineering.
Students interested in getting involved with POWE are encouraged to subscribe to their newsletter and apply for coordinator roles at the start of the academic year, or attend events as general members.
