“Math and science are hard, but being at Loomis, you are well-prepared to be in a challenging environment,” Jen Podurgiel ’96 assured students gathered in Founders Hall on Sunday, February 21, for a discussion about women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education and professions.

The Women in STEM student affinity group, along with computer programming teacher Amanda Holland and Director of Experiential Learning Fred Kuo, invited Jen and Kinneri Mehta ’07 back to the Island to share their perspectives with a group of about 30 current Loomis students. A few former teachers and classmates also dropped in to re-connect with the two alumnae.

Kinneri earned her medical degree last fall and is a first-year otolaryngology-head and neck surgery resident at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Jen, who holds bachelor’s degrees in physics and electrical engineering and a master’s degree in information systems, is a senior vice president in mortgage bond trading at Citigroup in New York City.

Both Jen and Kinneri said they did not know what they wanted to do professionally when they were students at Loomis, but they recognized that they liked math and science early in their educational careers.

“I was going to be a doctor like my dad,” said Jen, but college biology courses steered her away from pre-med. “I also hated AP Physics in high school, which is ironic because I went on to get a degree in physics.”

While Jen’s engineering coursework was challenging, the satisfaction she gained from analytical problem-solving influenced her educational and career pursuits. Banking and many other industries seek engineers as employees “because they want to hire people who know how to solve problems,” she said.  

Kinneri, like Jen, had a family background in medicine, but she initially pursued other interests. “A lot of people in my family are doctors, so I thought I didn’t want that!” she said. Since elementary school Kinneri enjoyed studying Spanish and went on to get her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Princeton University, where she also took courses in finance and pre-med. On an internship doing translating work in a hospital, Kinneri realized that working in a medical environment combined her desire to help others with her interest in science. She earned her medical degree at New York University School of Medicine and she says her Spanish language has been an asset in her work and studies.

Both panelists encouraged the audience to remain open to the possibilities and opportunities that come with being students at Loomis Chaffee such as trying different classes and extracurricular activities. They also encouraged the students to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

“I took a roundabout way to get to medicine,” said Kinneri, acknowledging that while a foundation may be laid in high school, students do not have to be locked into any field of study.

“Take advantage of being in a special place like Loomis,” said Jen. Small class sizes and access to teachers who are committed to students’ success are among the benefits of a Loomis education, advantages that students might not find in college. “I sat in Mr. [Jeff] Scanlon’s office for hours,” said Jen, who was grateful for the one-on-one help she received with her English papers.

When asked about the challenges of being a woman working in a profession with gender disparity, both alumnae said the disparity has not presented a professional obstacle for them as individuals. As one of six women on a team of 40 people in her area at Citigroup, Jen said, she has confidence in her abilities and has a strong network of supporters. And since she was one of just six women in a class of 80 at Columbia University to graduate with an electrical engineering degree in 2001, all the professors knew who she was.

Both Kinneri and Jen recommended developing a network of supporters and using alumni connections from Loomis. Kinneri advised students interested in learning more to talk to people who work in a field of interest and to shadow a professional. Even an internship that helps you discover that you do not like a particular field is beneficial — you learn from the negative experience, Jen added.

Juniors, and student leaders of Women in STEM initiatives Iffy Ahmed-Syed and Gloria Yi, remarked that they appreciated the advice and inspiration from the alumnae, and others said it was encouraging to hear that the two successful women say they didn’t know what they wanted to do in high school.

Connect to the Loomis Chaffee website to learn more about Loomis Chaffee’s Experiential Learning programs.