Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School has produced many shining students that have made an impact on this community. Once again, students have impressed the community with a new organization. SuiteGirl, a non-profit organization created by juniors Taylor Diggs and Niva Patel, aims to inspire the next generation of females to take leadership roles in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field through mentorship, networking and leadership exercises.
“Our ultimate goal is to have a substantial impact on the lives of our peers, to inspire them to achieve the c-suite,” said Diggs.
Diggs aspires to use her love of science to pursue a career in medicine, and Patel hopes to study business or engineering, to start her own company.
“Above all, my greatest aspiration is to make a difference in this world,” Diggs said. “Whether it be in the lives of my future patients or in the lives of the young women, SuiteGirl helps.”
The organization held its first event on Nov. 14t at Douglass College, the all women’s college that is associated with Rutgers University. The event revolved around five women that paved their way in various fields, including Michelle Dutton, Vice President of Corporate Technology, Jessica Gaffney, Founder and CEO of Wavework, Lori Grier, Corporate Planning Executive of Otsuka and Board of NJ Girl Scouts, and Michelle Dutton, Vice President of Corporate Technology at Verizon.
These women advised both high school and college student on what they need to do in order to succeed in the future. At the end of their event, the guest speakers took questions from the students, both personal and general. The events allowed these girls to connect and network with mentors, established women executives, and college students. They hope to have more events even larger than this in the future.
“SuiteGirl isn’t just an organization. We hope that it will become a mindset that our peers will adopt,” said Patel. “Together, we are the change we seek.”