By Katie RessmeyerThe Daily Northwestern

Hundreds of women will flock to Northwestern starting today for a glimpse of their future as engineers.

The NU chapter of the Society of Women Engineers is hosting the group’s 2007 regional conference. This is the first time NU or Chicago has hosted the event.

The conference lasts through Sunday, with events planned for NU’s Chicago and Evanston campuses.

“We are ready to get it started this weekend,” said McCormick senior Jessica Schein, co-chairwoman of the conference and former president of SWE.

The event is expected to draw about 400 students, 200 professional SWE members and 70 corporate representatives, Schein said.

Highlights of the conference include a networking event today, a career fair at Norris University Center on Saturday and a banquet Saturday night. The career fair is a major part of the weekend, Schein said.

“It is pretty valuable for the attendees,” said Schein, who found summer internships at other conferences.

Hosting the event in downtown Chicago required the organization to raise lots of money, Schein said. With the help of 62 sponsors, NU’s chapter raised more than $191,000 to host the event – the most money ever raised for the regional conference, Schein said.

The money also is used to subsidize the cost of the conference for attendees. Collegiate members paid $25 to come to this year’s conference, a price the group was determined not to increase, Schein said.

The conference usually is held in towns where reserving rooms and renting banquet space is less expensive, Schein said.

The career fair will feature more than 50 companies, including many of the conference’s sponsors, Schein said. The number of conference sponsors also set a regional record.

“It was so successful because it is in Chicago, and we get to pull from all the Chicago-based companies,” said McCormick junior Jessica Donato, the director of fundraising and corporate relations.

Donato said many of the companies she contacted already have strong relationships with NU.

Schein said she has hoped to host the regional conference since she attended the 2004 event in Madison, Wis.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we hosted senior year?'” Schein said.

McCormick senior Kelly Migliazzo – the conference’s other co-chairwoman – said the Madison conference encouraged her, as well.

“I was taken aback by how many women were in the same room and so passionate,” Migliazzo said.

The group began planning its bid to host this year’s conference shortly after attending the Madison event. NU beat out Purdue and Bradley universities to host the conference.

The organization has since focused on planning the programming and fundraising.

“It has kind of been my little baby,” Migliazzo said.

Although all the major planning details were worked out long ago, both Schein and Migliazzo said their main concerns now are making final arrangements for a conference in two different locations: downtown Chicago and Evanston.

“Having to move everything downtown will be a bit of a nightmare,” Migliazzo said. “(But) to bring the event to NU will be great for all participants involved.”

Reach Katie Ressmeyer at [email protected].