Welcome to WE22 — Where a World of Opportunity Awaits

I cannot wait to welcome you to WE22, whether you’re attending in person or virtually! There are so many things that make SWE’s annual conferences amazing. I’m confident that this year at WE22, you’ll find a world of opportunities.

First of all, there’s the networking. WE22 offers plenty of opportunities to engage with other SWEople. Whether it’s at one of the lunches, talking to people before or after the keynote sessions (spoiler alert, they will be great!!), or celebrating at the closing reception (complete with sweet treats sure to dazzle you), I am sure there will be many moments to meet new people and engage with old friends. Use those opportunities to make lasting connections.

I have met so many remarkable people at conference over the years. Some of them I’ve kept up with, some I’ve connected with on LinkedIn and cheered on by liking promotions or job changes, and some have become my closest trusted advisors. I’m looking forward to experiencing the excitement and energy of the community again this year.

Learn, grow, and recharge

The conference programming offers opportunities to learn, grow, and recharge, both personally and professionally. I went through the schedule today and was overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the number of sessions. I don’t know how everyone will decide which sessions to attend. Fortunately, there will be virtual access to the platform for three months after conference.

I’ve always found the programming of SWE conferences to be relevant and high quality, but an added benefit is the fact that I can use it as continuing education to keep my professional engineer license up to date. If you’re struggling as much as I am in deciding which sessions to attend live, be sure to download the conference app to your phone so that you can mark those you’re interested in.

Speaking of opportunities, we know that the job market is strong right now, so check out the career fair if you’re looking for a new challenge. I love hearing from all of the people who got their first jobs from a SWE career fair. I’m sure plenty of people reading this magazine will join the ranks of that crowd.

Finally, soak it all up. Soak up the energy and return to post-conference life invigorated, full of passion, and motivated to engineer this world to be a better place.

I’ll never forget my time as WE local host committee co-chair for WE11 in Chicago. You feel the energy as an attendee, but I had the opportunity to speak at the closing reception — and I still get goosebumps thinking about being onstage and seeing everyone in the audience share that energy. The room was electric, and I could see the excitement level grow as people engaged with one another. Build those connections, grow your energy and passion, and grab those opportunities that await you!