About WEP
The Women in Engineering Program (WEP) was established in 1992 to:
- recruit and retain female engineering students
- increase the percentage of female engineering graduates
- and provide a supportive structure that encourages the success of women in the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT
The concept of WEP was originally proposed by engineering faculty women and enthusiastically received and supported by the Dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering. WEP is a collegewide effort with a full-time director, a recruitment program coordinator, a retention program coordinator, an administrative associate and faculty advisors, in addition to student staff and volunteers.
WEP initiatives reach over 1,500 currently enrolled students and over 1,000 pre-college students annually. Women comprise approximately 22 percent of the current UT Austin engineering student body. WEP programs focus on pre-college outreach and recruitment, academic enrichment and retention, community building, leadership enhancement and career development.
MISSION
The mission of the Women in Engineering Program is to increase the overall percentage of women in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. WEP strives to:
- educate girls and women about engineering
- inspire women to pursue the unlimited opportunities within the world of engineering
- and empower women engineers to benefit society
GOAL
For the enrollment of women in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin to match the population in the state of Texas—50% women.
STATS
Enrollment averages 22% women at the undergraduate level and 20% women at the graduate level. An average of 24% of the undergraduate engineering degrees are awarded to women. Additional statistics are available on enrollment by classification and major.
STAFF
WEP has a four-person full-time staff, faculty, alumni and industry advisors, and an extensive staff of student workers and volunteers.