The Black @ Mac Eng March Break event brought together faculty members and prospective students to celebrate current Black engineering students and inspire future ones
On March 11, 2025, the faculty of engineering hosted its second annual Black @ Mac Eng event during March Break. The event, held in the Hatch Junction on the second floor of the John Hodgins Engineering Building, served as an open house for prospective Black engineering students and their families to learn more about McMaster’s engineering programs.
The day offered two different timed sessions to accommodate families' availability. It began with refreshments and an opening presentation from Jodi-Anne Buckley, McMaster’s Black student recruitment and career advisor at the university’s Centre for Career Growth.
Buckley has been with McMaster since 2021. She spoke with The Silhouette about her role and the event.
“One of the most important things is helping potential students see the community that exists within the faculty of engineering and the entire university,” said Buckley.
One of the most important things is helping potential students see the community that exists within the faculty of engineering and the entire university.
Jodi-Anne Buckley, Black Student Recruitment and Career Advisor
McMaster University's Centre for Career Growth
After the presentation, current engineering students shared their experiences in the program and offered tips for future students. The event concluded with a networking session, where attendees connected with self-identifying Black faculty members, students and staff to discuss any questions they had.
The Black @ Mac Eng March Break event was created to foster a sense of belonging and excitement for Black students considering engineering at McMaster.
“Though we have a growing number of Black students, sometimes you can often be the only one in the class . . . This event, filled with people like you, makes you start to think about the future and feel excited and inspired,” said Buckley.
“The event not only helped the students who may want to come to [McMaster] but also helped current students reflect on their journeys and recognize how much they have accomplished,” said Buckley.
According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, recent trends point to increased diversity in science, technology, engineering and math careers. However, Buckley explained that Black students continue to face significant barriers to pursuing engineering. She cited data from the Black Professionals in Tech Network, which found that only 16 per cent of Black students earn post-secondary STEM credentials, compared to 23 per cent among other minority groups.
“There’s a huge gap in the number of Black students in STEM, especially pursuing engineering,” said Buckley.
There’s a huge gap in the number of Black students in STEM, especially pursuing engineering.
Jodi-Anne Buckley, Black Student Recruitment and Career Advisor
McMaster University's Centre for Career Growth
She pointed to factors such as a lack of role models, limited access to coding programs and the intimidation of entering a field with little representation as contributing to this disparity.
To conclude, Buckley emphasized the importance of mentorship and networking for those interested in STEM careers. Fostering these connections was a central goal of Black @ Mac Eng.
“If you are thinking about a career in engineering, reach out to those who are in the process of getting an education or those who have already graduated . . . You can’t want a village without wanting to be a villager,” said Buckley.
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By: Lauren Beals
When she was a student, Hoda ElMaraghy ventured where no woman had before. In 1976, she became the first woman to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering at McMaster. What followed was an esteemed career laced with achievement and novelty. This includes becoming the first woman to be appointed as faculty member in mechanical engineering at McMaster, and the first woman to hold the position of Dean of Engineering when she joined the University of Windsor in 1994.
She has since published over 380 papers in professional journals, holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems and is currently a fellow of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the International Academy for Production Engineering.
On Jan. 20 her incredible achievements were recognized as one of 25 Order of Ontario recipients, the highest honors in the province. ElMaraghy was the only engineer recognized amongst this year’s recipients.
“I was indeed thrilled,” said ElMaraghy. “It was great to have my work and leadership acknowledged […] being invested in the Order of Ontario is one of my proudest moments.”
Like any true pioneer, ElMaraghy was left to navigate a challenging field in a time when there were very few females in engineering. “At the beginning of my career there were very few women engineers, and being the first [PhD and faculty] was certainly a novelty. There was a great pressure to prove one’s abilities.”
Despite the odds, ElMaraghy overcame preconceptions by demonstrating excellence in her abilities, going on to become the founding director of the Flexible Manufacturing Systems here at McMaster and establishing herself as a powerhouse in manufacturing and systems design.
Named Hamilton’s Woman of the Year in the Workplace in 1990, ElMaraghy has seen the positive influence women leaders can have across genders. “Women role models in academia and in the corporate world are very important not only for women but also for men who are expected to work with and sometimes be supervised by women,” said ElMaraghy.
When she was a student, Hoda ElMaraghy ventured where no woman had before. In 1976, she became the woman graduate to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering at McMaster. What followed was an esteemed career laced with achievement and novelty.
Right now, she serves as a faculty member as an engineering professor at the University of Windsor and is a collaborator with the Canadian government. ElMaraghy thinks should play a crucial role in the advancement of women in academia and the workplace. “Universities and employers must put in place measures to remove clear and hidden barriers for women’s progress in these fields and promote equal pay for work of equal value,” she said. “They must offer them leadership training and opportunities for progress.”
Looking ahead, ElMaraghy is confident that women can continue to succeed in emerging STEM fields but deserve the right blend of advocacy.
“Women are capable of tackling many challenges in engineering but they need more support, encouragement and recognition,” she said.
Photo Credit: University of Windsor
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