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Sweet Briar College in Virginia was recently granted approval to establish the first student section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers at an all-women's institution.

The small liberal arts school is one of the few women's colleges in the country that offers degrees in engineering. Launched three years ago, the program will graduate its first class in 2009. While a vigorous engineering club had already existed on campus, faculty and students both recognized the need to affiliate with a national association.

They didn't have to look far to find a good one. The AMSE has a strong local presence through the ASME Virginia Section — exactly what SBC faculty advisor Scott Pierce felt his students needed.

"I wanted to be part of the larger engineering community in the area," said Pierce, a senior ASME member and officer in the Virginia Section. "The senior section wants us to be an active chapter and they're willing to help."

He likes that the local senior section arranges frequent activities, especially plant tours. Not only will it provide a structure for Sweet Briar students to organize around, its presence will bring them in contact with engineers working throughout the area, he said.

A national society for mechanical engineers is a good fit for the College's program, Pierce noted. The curriculum is multidisciplinary with a strong blend of mechanical and electrical engineering.

Sweet Briar offers two degree tracks, a B.S. in engineering science and a B.A. in engineering management. Additionally, students who want to specialize in areas such as in mechanical, electrical or civil engineering, may choose a 3-2 dual-degree option through partnerships with large engineering universities including Virginia Tech, Washington University and Columbia University.

Sweet Briar is a private college with about 680 students on its rural campus. Small class sizes allow faculty to work one-on-one with students in the classroom and in the laboratory and field.

The College is home to an active research community that since 2002 has been awarded $2.3 million in National Science Foundation grants for equipment, programs and research.