Applying for SWG Membership

Marty Talbot, Anamite Mountains of Laos

Marty Talbot, Anamite Mountains of Laos

There are three ways to be considered for election to SWG:

  1. Generally, prospective members are nominated by two current members in good standing, a Proposer and a Seconder. In a case where, due to geographical distance, a candidate is known by only one SWG member, the Executive Council may waive the requirement of a Seconder.
  2. A prospective member may nominate herself by completing and submitting the Biographical Data Form which serves as the application. The application will be vetted by the membership committee, who will also arrange an interview with the nominee. Upon completion of this process the application will be forwarded to the SWG Council for evaluation.
  3. Student applications may be downloaded here. Students are required to have a faculty sponsor.

Applications may be submitted at any time, but are reviewed by the SWG Council at meetings that are held between September and May.

Applications are circulated to Council members along with an evaluation form. There is an open discussion of applications prior to the official Council meeting, followed by a tally of votes. Welcome letters are sent to newly elected members, with copies sent to sponsors and Group Chairs. Membership is not official until an acceptance letter and payment of dues are received by the office administrator in Washington DC.

Student Members

Student membership is open to women who are full- or part-time students in good standing at an accredited college or university. Dues for student members are currently $15/year; membership provides many benefits, including:

  • The Newsletter (issued three times a year),
  • The Bulletin (with updated information about members’ and the Society’s activities),
  • The opportunity to network with SWG members at Group meetings and the Triennial meeting of the Society

Student members are encouraged to become Members or Associate Members of the Society as soon as they are eligible.

Applying for Student Membership

The sponsor’s evaluation should be completed by a faculty member familiar with the student’s work and the form signed by her/him. If the sponsor is a member of SWG, she should also complete the section on liaison and forward the form, with these two signatures, to SWG headquarters, 415 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003.

If the sponsor is not a member of SWG then you should also find an SWG member to serve as a liaison. That person may be one of the Group Chairs — or may be any SWG member you know. If you need help with this, SWG can provide names of members who may appropriate serve as liaison — women who may be in similar academic fields and may be able to add another perspective to the student’s research and career planning.

With your signature, and that of the sponsor, you should forward the form to the SWG Liaison (if needed) who will complete the form, including her signature, and send it to SWG headquarters.

The SWG Council reviews application at all Council meeting which are held between between September and May. Applicants are notified immediately after the Council action.

Applications

The Biographical Data Form is designed to gather information on a candidate’s qualifications.

This form becomes a part of the permanent record of members that eventually will be sent to the Library of Congress. Applicants should fill out the form with this historical record in mind. Acronyms should be spelled out the first time they are used and you should provide specific dates of travel (i.e. “8/93-6/94,” not “93/94”). A brief curriculum vitae (up to four pages) may be attached and reference for relevant topics.

If you fill out this form electronically, we ask that you print out and sign a hard copy that should be returned to your sponsor.

Upon election, you will receive an invitation to join the Society.