Where else would 43 campers, girls entering eighth grade,, and six junior counselors, eleventh graders returning to camp from 2014) have an opportunity to meet, talk to and learn from such a wide variety of professional women? Nowhere. Professional Women’s Night (PWN) lasts from about 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the evening.
As an option to prepare mentors in advance, some information and a photo of each camper and counselor are shared via Dropbox so the mentors may get to know the girls. Handouts of the same documents are available at the registration table. Mentors are asked to send a brief bio and a photo prior to the event and to sign a standard release waiver.
Format: "Speed Dating" Style
Mentors are paired with a professional or two from a
related field, e.g., electrical or aerospace engineering, education, accounting, health, etc. Groups of two to four girls will be given approximately
five minutes to visit with a table of mentors. The girls will be prepared with some questions
to help them learn about mentors and their careers. At the end of the speed mentoring, girls are given a brief chance to connect with a mentor whom they have not met previously. According to Dr. Lisa Appeddu, camp director, the girls always like to hear about:
- Education
- What mentors do on a daily basis
- How mentors arrived at where they are today
- Anything personal mentors want to share, e.g., to illustrate that women can have careers and families
- Where the girls are from
- What they like to do
- What core course they are in (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math)
- Their favorite part of camp so far, etc.
Attire & Props
After a week of high activity and casual clothing, the girls will be dressed up for this highly anticipated, special event. They have also been coached during the week on manners, interview skills, and other social/professional skills to be practiced at PWN.
Mentors, who usually come from work, may dress in the attire they normally would for their careers, and even to
bring “props” if they help to explain what you mentors do on a daily basis. Otherwise, business casual is appropriate. Mentors look forward to PWN because they are seeing, encouraging and mentoring many overachievers of the next generation.
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| Some out-of-state professional women, sometimes former campers, are brought in by video conference. |
Food
Coffee, water and desserts but no meal are provided. After the speed mentoring concludes, girls may mingle with mentors during a short reception period.
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| 2017 Campers & Junior Counselors at the Professional Women's Night |
Professionalism Award
Two campers will receive the professionalism award. Traits sought for the award include appropriate dress, good communication and listening skills, politeness, preparation, integrity and honesty. Mentors help identify campers which have these traits.
PWN, a Favorite
Dr. Lisa Appeddu said that this event is rated as one of the camper’s favorites, as well as one of the most impactful, because "girls are able to experience new career
options and to meet successful women." Professional women making the time for sharing themselves and their expertise inspire the girls to see what they can achieve professionally and personally and to aspire to lofty goals.
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| 2017 Professional Women's Night Mentors |
Note: If any professional woman was from Southwestern Oklahoma State University or if a mentor's place of employment included the name of the town, the town is not listed after the job title.
- Upekesha Addagatla, The Boeing Company, Mechanical Systems Design & Analysis Engineer, OKC
- Debbie Allen, Weatherford Police Dept., Animal Control Supervisor
- Morgan Arline, The Boeing Company, Electromagnetic Effects Engineer, OKC
- Dr. Sue Ball, SWOSU Biology Dept., Anatomy Instructor
- Madeline Baugher, SWOSU Computer Science, Program Director & NASA Space Consortium
- Elizabeth Bayless, Miss SWOSU, Health Sciences Major
- Nalley Bean, RDH, Hinton Family Dental, Registered Dental Hygienist, Hinton
- Jessica Van Den Berg, Indian Health Services, Family Nurse Practitioner, Thomas
- Dr. Lisa Boggs, SWOSU, Biology Professor
- LaCreta Bowen, San Diego Independent School District, Athletic Trainer, San Diego, TX
- Gwendolyn Burgess, University of Michigan Dept. of Pharmacology, Graduate Assistant, Pharmacology, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Dr. Melinda Burgess, SWOSU, Department of Psychology Professor
- Rebecca Connor, Texas Instruments, SFAB WIN (Plasma Process Integration Engineer), Sherman, TX
- Melanie DeFehr, Speech-Language Pathologist, Weatherford
- Dr. Sally Drinnon, Western Oklahoma Drug, Pharmacist, Clinton
- Beth Green, MCJ, CCSI, Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), Assistant Special Agent, OKC
- Lt. Amanda Haggard, Clinton Indian Health Center, Pharmacist
- Michele Hart, Michele Hart CPA, Accountant, Weatherford
- Amanda Hills, Petroleum Geologist, EMP Geological Services,LLC, Weatherford/OKC
- Rachel Hurt, Moore Norman Technology Center, Instructor of Programming & Software Development
- Susan Jasper, Texas Instruments, SFAB Quality Manager (Engineer at Texas Instruments), Sherman, TX
- Jennifer Johns, Help Desk, Hel Desk Computer Services, Weatherford
- Kerri Kirby, Weatherford High Schook, High School Science Teacher
- Dr. Heather Koch, DDS, Hinton Family Dental, Dentist
- Dr. Denise L-G, SWOSU Language & Literature, Associate Professor
- Dr. ChihChen Sophia Lee, SWOSU Music Therapy, Professor of Music Therapy
- Shristi Maharjan, Bar-S Foods, Assistant Project Engineer, Bar-S Foods, Clinton
- Lacee Martin, Elk City Hospital, Speech-Language Pathologist
- Deb Monney, Bank of Western Oklahoma, Vice President, Weatherford
- Ashley Murray, M.A., University of Toledo (OH) Dept. of Psychology, Graduate Assistant/Instructor of Psychology, Toledo, OH
- Debi Murray, Bluth Family Medicine, Family Nurse Practitioner, Weatherford
- Alli Reed, The Boeing Company, Electromagnetic Effects Engineer, OKC
- Dorinda Risenhoover, NASA Space Grant Consortium, NASA EPSCoRm Education Coordinator, Norman
- Tiler Rose, NASA, Product Development Lead (PDL) Intern, NASA, Titusville, FL
- Susan Rose, Indian Health Services, Physical Therapist, Clinton
- Bobbi Jo Smith, Weatherford Regional Hospital, Respiratory Therapist
- Jennifer Staggs, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Oklahoma Medicolegal Death Investigator, Weatherford
- Dr. Karen Sweeney, SWOSU Computer Science, Assistant Professor of Computer Science,
- Gretchen Taylor, Red River Technology Center, Pre-Engineering Academy Instructor, Duncan
- Vanessa Valli, Wright Radio Broadcasting, On-Air Personality, Music Director, Program Director of KWEY, Weatherford
- Kelsey Wall, Corn Bible Academy, Math Teacher, Corn
- Michelle Williams, Bar-S Foods, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCCP) Coordinator/Safe Quality Food (SQF) Practitioner, Bar-S Foods, Clinton
- Kristi Windels, The Boeing Company, Project Engineer, OKC
- Dr. Marilyn Wolgamott, Heartland Animal Hospital, Veterinarian, Weatherford
- Bev Woodrome, Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, Boren Mentoring Initiative Director, OKC
- Sherri Wooldridge, Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector, Weatherford
- Karen Wright, HOSS Construction LLC, Operations Manager, Hinton
- Haylie Zarate, The Boeing Company, Electrical Engineer, OKC
- Jenna Ziegler, Tinker Air Force Base, Aerospace Engineer, OKC
Speaking of professional women, we applaud the camp staff and volunteers for their professionalism, all-year planning and fundraising, unbridled passion and steadfast commitment to providing a high-quality educational and personal experience for the campers and junior counselors.
