The six-member executive board of The Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society at Kent State consists solely of women.
Statistics from STEM Women said that as of 2023, women make up about 26% of the STEM workforce. Angele Engohang, a senior biology major and SAACS president, has noticed more women in her STEM classes at Kent State as she finishes her last year on campus.
“Now, in all my classes, I’m seeing women,” Engohang said. “Most of my biology classes are more women than men. So, it’s just nice to surround myself with people with like-minds and experiences.”
The all-women board has been very empowering, creating a safe space for members to share their ideas freely, said Ariana Painter, a biochemistry major and SAACS vice president.
“SAACS welcomes everyone, and members do not have to be a STEM major to be involved in the club. Although science is known to be a male-dominated field, it doesn’t feel that way anymore,” Engohang said.
SAACS hosted its first event Thursday night at Williams Hall with chemistry-focused bingo and trivia.
The club is more than chemistry and career-focused events, Engohang said.
The club also plans to host slime making and nitrogen ice cream events for upcoming meetings to bring in new members, and it hopes to highlight a side of chemistry different from what STEM students do in the classroom, Engohang said.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that chemistry can be fun,” Engohang said. “It’s not all hard and boring, I just want everyone to know the fun side to chemistry.”
The board bounces ideas off each other at the club’s meetings, and it provides a safe space for their voices to be heard, said Hannah Ferguson, a chemistry major and SAACS treasurer.
Being involved in SAACS is a way for students to feel more confident, strengthen their academic abilities and make new friends, Engohang said.
“It just does something to see people who look like you be a minority in STEM,” Engohang said. “It’s so rare and nice to see other people who look like you pursuing the same thing. It’s like, okay, I can do this. I can do this, just like my peers can do it. It’s important to have a good community.”
The SAACS board members’ goal for the semester is to get more people involved in SAACS. Details about meetings will be posted on the club’s instagram page.
Audrey Trevarthan is digital assistant. Contact her at [email protected].
