TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Rose-Hulman celebrated International Women’s Day by showing a presentation given by one of the most influential women currently in the STEM field.
“Launch Before You Are Ready” gave students in attendance a look at a different mindset that isn’t usually taken in the STEM field. It takes a look at the pros and cons of a perfectionist mindset and describes what it is like to launch yourself into the world before you are ready.
This allows you to get comfortable taking risks that could help you get ahead in your life and career. The speaker, Kate Maxwell, said that she hopes this presentation encourages students to stick with it.
“Any opportunity I have to give back, share inspirational stories with people, and share a little bit of my journey in hopes that it might inspire and encourage them to stick with it, especially in STEM, is what I love to do,” said Maxwell.
This presentation also gives women a perspective on what life is like for a successful woman in this field. Maxwell is the General Manager for Worldwide Education at Microsoft and has 20 years of past experience across the global public sector.
Maggie Witt was one of the students in attendance and she said this experience allows Maxwell to pass on a lot of good advice.
“I think as someone who has had a lot of experience with that, she has picked up different ways to manage and navigate that area,” she said. “I think that passing it down to people that are just entering the workplace, we could potentially be able to escape situations that might not be the most optimal for us to face.”
Maxwell says that all she wants to do is inspire the next generation of STEM students.
“If there is even a little bit of inspiration I can give back to that community, then it makes it all worthwhile,” said Maxwell.
Maxwell was also named No. 1 of the “Top 100 Women in Tech” by Technology Magazine in 2023.
