Finding Her Way
Today, Stofer is a program manager in the product development, technology, and research group in Medtronic's neuromodulation business unit, but her first engineering experience happened the summer between her junior and senior years in high school, when she attended an all-girls' engineering camp at Michigan Technological University.
"It was during that time that I was exposed to many disciplines in engineering, including biomedical engineering," Stofer recalls. "It was a great chance to have a hands-on experience and be surrounded by women at the university level. It changed my perspective on engineering. After that, I knew I had the skills, abilities, and drive to become an engineer."
In college, Stofer went into biomedical engineering as planned, but then realized that most of her classmates were using the course as a stepping stone to get into medical school.
"It was challenging connecting with my peers because we didn't share a common interest in engineering and what we actually wanted to do when we completed our undergraduate degree," she explains.
That's when Stofer first came across the Society of Women Engineers, SWE.
Getting Involved in SWE
"I was interested in learning more about engineering and talking to other engineers, so the connection with SWE was extremely important," she says. "That connection is still very strong today. I had fun as a college student reaching out to elementary and high school girls and explaining to them that engineering goes way beyond building bridges and lab coats, and actually involves the people who design their cell phones or make their lip balms. And I still enjoy doing it today, when we host different activities targeted at girls and young women at all levels."
After receiving her bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa, Stofer went on earn her master's in biomaterials at the University of Minnesota.
Stofer has held several posts with SWE, including director of regions, director of membership initiatives, and president-elect. Now, 20 years after she joined SWE as a college sophomore, she is the organization's president.
That means a lot of traveling for the mother of two, who is based in Minnesota, but her family has been extremely supportive.
"It takes a lot of help from family to make things work. My husband, my in-laws, and a fantastic babysitter make it all possible, but it does take a village," she says, referring to Hillary Clinton's famous book.
And this support goes beyond helping with the children. Her husband, a high school mathematics teacher and coach, and the grandfather who influenced her early in life are also members of SWE, which was founded by both women and men who supported women’s involvement in engineering more than 60 years ago.
"I am incredibly lucky to have an employer who is supportive of my SWE involvement and a family who is extremely proud and supportive of my career and engagement with SWE," Stofer says.
Reflecting on Her Presidency
As SWE President, Stofer is extremely excited about the organization joining ABET as an Associate Member Society.
"At SWE, our focus is outreach and professional development, and this partnership with ABET will give us the chance to really use and develop our technical skills," she explains. "Our members are equally enthusiastic and since we announced the involvement with ABET, we have been getting a lot of interest and questions."
As her term as president comes to a close on June 30, Stofer looks back with pride and gratitude.
"This past year has been fantastic," she says. "We've made so many wonderful connections, and without a doubt, one of the most memorable moments was receiving the National Building Museum's Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology. It really speaks to our focus on diversity as a way to fuel innovation."
