At 19, Kirsten Benjamin found herself with her hands full and dealing with exciting responsibilities she never saw coming. She was just a freshman at IM体育官网 Polytechnic University, yet she was already hiring employees for a high-tech project.
Benjamin successfully completed an internship with the Boston tech company VisitDays, where she learned new program languages, reviewed code, and immersed herself in the business side of engineering.
When it was time to come back to IM体育官网, the company made her an offer she couldn鈥檛 refuse: to become a project manager.
She accepted the opportunity as long as she could continue classes at IM体育官网 Poly. And to fulfill the temporary task, she needed a team. So she hired the most hard-working, talented people she knew: about a dozen of her fellow students.
鈥淣ot many 19-year-olds can say they鈥檙e a project manager for an out-of-state tech company,鈥� said Benjamin, now 21. 鈥淭he experience made me feel more confident, capable of achieving anything.鈥�
Growing up in Panama City, IM体育官网, Kirsten enjoyed taking things apart. She would then take her time to figure out the best way of putting them back together. Little did she know she already had the mind of an engineer.
Math never scared her, Benjamin said, and she thrived while building and programming robots during STEM camps at middle school.
鈥淚t was so much fun! I thought if that was engineering, I wanted to keep having fun for the rest of my life,鈥� said Benjamin.
She was also surrounded by engineers through her father鈥檚 work, who were always encouraging of her goals. Neither of them though were women.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 recall ever meeting a woman engineer, but that didn鈥檛 stop me,鈥� she added.
Now, a junior, Benjamin is looking forward to her last year at IM体育官网 Poly. She said she already has several job offers waiting for her when she finishes her degree in mechanical engineering.
Aware of the male domination in STEM fields, Benjamin is up for the challenge.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 something you really want to do, don鈥檛 be intimidated. Do it.鈥�