Seeing themselves in STEM: ExxonMobil opens doors for Baton Rouge area girls

Sponsored by ExxonMobil

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day at ExxonMobil brought together more than 100 ninth- and 10th-grade girls from across the region to imagine their futures in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Through hands-on activities, mentorship and real stories from women in STEM, the event aimed to spark curiosity and build confidence in the next generation of engineers and innovators.

This initiative is one of several ways ExxonMobil supports STEM education across Baton Rouge. STEM Saturday events give kids hands‑on experiences like building circuits, and the company is collaborating with the Conference of National Black Churches to host its second STEM summer camp this year. ExxonMobil also provides classroom grants to EBR teachers for STEM projects, and its long‑standing High School Internship Program gives students experience working inside their facility.

The day opened with remarks from Kate Lightfoot, Baton Rouge Integrated Complex Manager, who shared her own path from chemical engineering student to site manager and mom. Lightfoot described earning her chemical engineering degree from the University of Arkansas, followed by an MBA she completed at night while working full time. She spoke candidly about the confidence and problem‑solving skills that education gave her, and about the three traits that define her leadership style: high standards, curiosity and transparency.

“Engineers solve complex problems,” she told the students, explaining how her job now centers on keeping about 4,000 people safe at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge refinery and chemical plant, along with the surrounding community. She encouraged the girls to ask questions, pursue learning every day and recognize that they can “design their own lives” by the choices they make now.

Throughout the morning, students participated in hands-on STEM challenges, including an egg drop activity. Working in teams, they had to design contraptions to protect an egg from breaking when dropped. The challenge emphasized creativity, budgeting, collaboration and the kind of thinking that underpins real engineering work.

For Metro Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman, who represents District 10, the impact of the event is deeply personal. A former educator, Coleman sees ExxonMobil’s program as vital exposure that many students might not otherwise receive.

“When I was in ninth grade, engineering felt far‑fetched,” she said. “Today, these girls are seeing women engineers up close, realizing that they can have ‘Engineer’ under their name too.”

Role models extended beyond ExxonMobil employees. LSU Golden Girl and freshman business major Gabby Collier joined the event to share how her interest in the medical field led her to a business concentration in medical sales. Collier, who originally planned to pursue kinesiology, talked about pivoting her academic path after meeting professionals in medical device sales and discovering a career that blends technology, health care and business.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the operating room somehow,” she said. “Now I know there are many ways to be part of that world. Events like this show these girls that STEM touches everything.”

Behind the scenes, Brooke Pittman, ExxonMobil Regulatory Affairs Advisor and community outreach lead for the Women’s Interest Network (WIN), helped organize the day. WIN, one of ExxonMobil’s employee resource groups, has hosted versions of this event for more than 20 years.

“Our goal is simple,” Pittman said. “We want to inspire young women to see themselves in STEM careers and to know that anything is possible. Ninth and 10th grade is the perfect time to plant that seed before they make big decisions about college and coursework.”

For students like Raven Hill and Omnia Arab-Ogali, of Zachary High School, the day provided both encouragement and direction. Surrounded by female engineers, fellow students and community leaders, they and their classmates left with a clearer picture of the paths available to them and the confidence to take the next step.

From the opening remarks to collaborative challenges like the egg drop, ExxonMobil’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day made one message clear: STEM is not just for some: it’s for every girl ready to ask questions, work hard and imagine herself at the table. Learn more about ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge operations and subscribe to the company’s newsletter here.