Growing up in Flint Township, Angela Swain ‘16 was always familiar with Kettering University and all of its pre-college offerings. She started participating in the Young Inventor's program on campus when she was in the second grade and then the Lives Improve Through Engineering (LITE) program as a rising senior at Carman-Ainsworth High School.

“I was always into math and science but I didn’t see engineering as an option until I did the LITE program,” Swain said. “We were given so much exposure to so many different fields of engineering, it opened my eyes. The opportunities are limitless.”

While participating in LITE, Swain was able to transfer her skills in math and science into a passion for bioengineering. She was first exposed to bioengineering in Dr. Patrick Atkinson’s “Dollar Store Surgery” class in the program and has built on those skills since as a co-op employee at Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw, Indiana.

“I preferred the bioengineering side because it was directly related to people and improving someone’s daily living,” Swain said. “That’s what we do at our company, we make joint replacements so we can improve people’s lives.”

At Zimmer Biomet, Swain currently works on engineering surgical instrumentation for the knee development group. She’s also rotated in the research and development departments of foot/ankle and upper extremities.

In 2013 and 2014, Swain also served as a LITE mentor for the next generation of female engineers in order to pay her pre-college educational and social experiences forward.

“When you are a LITE mentor, it’s your job to make sure the girls enjoy the program and get the most out of it,” Swain said. “It’s my responsibility to get them excited about engineering and college.”

LITE is a two-week residential program created by Kettering University to introduce 11th grade girls to what engineers do and how they significantly improve people’s lives by applying math, science and technology to human problems.

“At Kettering we have the type of women mentors that high school girls need to see in order to learn that engineering is not just a men’s field,” Swain said. “They have hands-on interaction with people who share their experiences and ambitions.”

Swain’s own positive experiences in LITE are the reason she decided to volunteer as a mentor for multiple summers. Participating in the program also eased her transition to Kettering and her overall college experience.

“In LITE,  you have the chance to interact with other young women that have the same ambitions as you do,” Swain said.  “You get to socialize over experiences and education. When you’re freshmen, you know the LITE girls so you have a support system in place the first day you step foot on Kettering’s campus. A lot of LITE relationships end up lasting through college.”