With the overall mission of recruiting the best men and women, Sailors and support personnel assigned to Navy Recruiting Command, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio, and the Navy Partnership Team attended the Society of Women Engineers Conference at the Austin Convention Center, Oct. 26-28.

SWE's mission is to stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity.

Through its partnership with SWE, the Navy is able to engage with students, parents and key influence groups throughout the nation to attract, recruit and retain the brightest minds the nation has to offer.

According to Chief Navy Counselor Aspen Noles of Ukiah, California, assigned to NRC's diversity department, America's Navy is attending SWE 17 looking for female collegiates and professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

"We need women to fill many of our engineering fields in the Navy such as nuclear propulsion, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering," said Noles. "We want the Navy to mirror what society looks like."

Florcie Valcin of LaGrange, Georgia, a junior attending Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, visited the Navy footprint, which consisted on the Navy's virtual reality experience.

"I think it was great," said Valcin, who is majoring in information systems. "I learned that there are many different sides to the Navy. I attended Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in high school and did not have much contact with the Navy."

Lt. David Tarasi, an officer programs recruiter assigned to NRD San Antonio, said the SWE Convention provides Navy Recruiting access to top-caliber people, not only in the central Texas region, but nationwide.

"Many people are surprised that there is a Navy presence in central Texas due to the lack of major waterways, but we are very present and willing and able to engage with them," said the Austin native. "Attending events such as these allows the Navy to spread awareness of its programs and to let the students know that the Navy has premier engineering careers and opportunities."

NRC's diversity outreach program is tasked with raising awareness of the Navy within minority communities that can develop over generations.

Through outreach efforts with organizations such as SWE, the Navy can obtain and maintain relationships with key groups and figureheads that will continue to benefit everyone involved.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/.