By MALEAH GRIFFIN
Tiger Media Network
Women in STEM joined together at the Frontier Park Courts on Tuesday to play pickleball, build community, and have a good time with like-minded, driven women through competition and conversation.
Members converse and build community 
Two women bring their A game in some pickleball fun 
Getting ready to serve 
Ready to serve 
The team awaits the ball to cross the net 
The games are put to a stop by the wind, but that doesn’t stop a good time 
A member tosses a ball in her hands while enjoying a conversation 
Pickleball gear ready to go
Hannah Nimmo, president of Women in STEM, shared about how the club came to be and what they are all about.
“We restarted the organization in 2023. It was started by me and Ella McKee,” Nimmo said. “We decided on doing joint professional development events with Chem Club, Pre-Med Club, and Biology Natural Resources.”
These professional development events help teach individuals things such as how to apply for professional school and how to write a personal statement.
“Those things were really helpful to learn,” said Event Coordinator Genisis Wilson. “As a woman in STEM you want to make sure you are putting your best foot forward and have good information to have the best chance of getting into these professional schools.”
Wilson started off as a member before later being on the executive board. She had great experiences off the bat, has acquired many academic benefits, and said she has gained amazing community and friendship within the group.
“You meet a lot of good people and form a lot of friendships, including upperclassmen,” she said.
Wilson said networking with upperclassmen can be helpful to underclassmen, not just to have role models, but to get inside information about things such as schedules or specific major-required classes.
Women in STEM hosts events every other Monday at 5:00. These events range in activity but the group’s goal is to consistently provide positive evenings for hard-working women.
One of these activities includes cross-stitching, thanks to their Faculty Mentor. Cross-stitching is a practical skill that can be taken with members into the future.
“…it’s a great tactile hobby for individuals hoping to go into fields such as dentistry or becoming a surgeon,” Wilson said. “Even the things we do for fun can help with professional development.”
Bracelet making is usually another one of these activities, and a favorite among members.
“That’s like our thing. We’ll have Jackbox games and we always bring our bracelet-making stuff to every event,” Nimmo said.
The club also has a few members from majors outside of STEM, whom they are happy to have.
“They are here because they love the community and the people. It’s such a great place to build relationships, meet people who are like-minded, who study, who want a further education, and who are very goal-oriented,” Wilson said. “Overall, it’s such a great place to grow professionally as a person attending Fort Hays.”