News & Events

Tighe & Bond staff volunteering as judges at the STEM Fair at Quincy & North Quincy (MA) High Schools.

National Engineers Week (February 18 – February 24) is a time to highlight the important work that engineers do, as well as to promote the need for engineers and educate the next generation.

The theme of Engineers Week 2024 is “Welcome to the Future” – celebrating the civil engineering achievements of today, while promoting and recruiting a more diverse workforce within the engineering profession. Volunteerism is an important part of life at our firm, and many of our staff have dedicated themselves to mentoring young engineers at the K-12, college, and young professional levels.

To celebrate this year’s National Engineers Week, we asked our staff how they are inspiring and engaging the next generation of engineers.

Sam Taugher, PE

Project Manager, Water

I have served on the ACEC/MA STEM Task Force since 2019, and as the Committee Chair since 2020, where I’ve lead coordination efforts across AEC firms to promote more professional involvement in STEM classrooms across the state. I’ve also been involved in the One8 Applied Learning Hub as a STEM mentor and participating in events.

As STEM professionals, we serve a critical role in serving as an outside voice for students to learn from and look up to as they search for their true passions and future careers. Workforce demand for this industry has never been higher, and it is our responsibility to ensure the next generation of professionals is inspired and on a course to success.

Elizabeth Mitchell, EIT

Staff Engineer, Water

I have maintained a close relationship with faculty and undergraduate students in the Tufts Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and I recently had the opportunity to volunteer as a judge at the North Quincy High School STEM Fair. I am also a member of NEWEA, and I was able judge a high school poster session last year at the annual conference. I am hoping to get more involved with Tighe & Bond’s STEM Outreach Committee this year by volunteering at schools and seeking out mentorship opportunities.

When I was deciding what to study in college, an engineering professor told me that to make change in the world, you have to understand the world. This mantra drove me to study environmental engineering and ultimately pursue a career as an engineer at Tighe & Bond. It is important to motivate students to pursue STEM careers, so they can gain a better understanding of the world to create meaningful change in their communities.

Elysa Goldberg, EIT

Staff Engineer, Land Use

I have been attending Professional Women in Construction (PWC) events for several years now, and in the past 2 years became involved with their mentorship program where I have worked with multiple young women pursuing a career in civil engineering. It’s important to encourage women in STEM because female representation is crucial for the progression of the industry. If a woman has a passion for STEM there should be nothing standing in the way of her pursuing that interest.

Programs like the one offered through PWC are incredibly helpful because they provide resources, connections, information, and advice that support students as they begin their careers. I did not have a mentor throughout college, and I wanted to get involved in mentoring so I could help prepare young engineers with the information I wish I had known myself when I was in their position.

Tighe & Bond offers incentives for employees who volunteer their time for the benefit of local communities through our firm’s Make A Difference Program. To learn more about Engineers Week 2024, visit DiscoverE.org.