Vanessa Sanchez said it was “a highlight of my college career.”
Brianna Esqueda found it “inspiring and empowering.”
It was an “incredible experience,” said Eden Roth.
They were among the six construction management students in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering’s Del E. Webb School of Construction who participated in the recent Women in Construction West Coast Conference in San Diego.
Along with three other members of the Fulton Schools’ Advancing Women in Construction (AWIC) program — Natasha Hebel, Janette Sanchez and Carolina Urquijo Graff —Esqueda, Roth and Vanessa Sanchez joined more than 300 construction industry professionals for two days of networking, educational presentations and panel discussions designed to provide insights into careers in construction fields.
The students heard from trailblazers for women in the construction industry and listened to talks about challenges for females in the business, as well as the outlook for women’s roles in the profession in the future.
They also had opportunities to seek out mentors in particular aspects of the industry and get advice on career advancement.
“I was able to gain a lot of insight and prepare for things that may happen down the road,” Roth said. What she learned reassured her “that not only am I in the right industry, but that I can succeed in it.”