The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Affinity Groups (AG) are communities of individuals who share the same interests and goals. These groups help build community, provide professional development opportunities and empower and celebrate women from different paths of life.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Affinity Groups generally align with protected classes under a US Federal anti-discrimination law. These Affinity Groups focus on the needs of social minority populations and develop programs tailored to serve their respective communities .
The Business and Interests Affinity Groups are grassroots communities focused on social and networking opportunities around common interests. The focus of these Affinity Groups is loosely centered around the members’ business environment and experiences.
The Career Stages Affinity Groups represent members at different stages of their working life, from higher education, to starting off in the workplace, and advancing from there. The focus of these Affinity Groups is centered around a particular career stage, and the groups are well positioned to mentor each other.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, three new Affinity Groups were approved for FY 2023. These are under the Business and Interests Affinity Groups and the Career Stages Affinity Groups. SWE is proud to welcome the Mid-Career Professionals Affinity Group, the Public Policy Affinity Group, and the GradSWE Affinity Group. During this first year, these new Affinity Group will be building their community, establishing their leadership teams, and refining their mission and goals. It is a perfect time to get involved.
Mid-Career Professionals Affinity Group
The Mid-Career Professionals Affinity Group was formed to bridge the gap between the already established Early Career Professionals and Late Career and Retiree AGs for members in the 10-25 year range of career experience.
The Mid-Career Professionals AG supports those who are established in their career journey and looking for new ways to excel and adapt to changing times. This AG will connect members in virtual settings and at SWE conferences for networking, best practices sharing and mutual support. Additionally, this demographic tends to be overcommitted at work, home and their community, this AG provides a venue to stay connected with SWE with minimal commitment, travel etc. AG co-chairs are Deb Willems (she/her) and Felicia Guerrero Green (she/her). For more information contact Deb Willems, debwillemsswe@gmail.com and join by completing the interest form here.
Public Policy Affinity Group
The Public Policy Affinity Group aims to inspire members to discuss and practice advocacy at any level to advance policy interests that align with Society of Women Engineer’s goals. By forming a community of interest, we can better understand collective public policy interest areas and provide improved tools and training. The FY23 Public Policy AG Lead Jenny Tsao (she/her) is excited to lead this community. Those interested in learning more about how to engage in Public Policy to advance women in engineering are encouraged to join. For more information contact jennymay.swe@gmail.com
GradSWE Affinity Group
GradSWE is an existing, successful group within SWE, and we are happy to welcome them as an Affinity Group for FY23.
GradSWE serves the graduate student community in Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Our mission is to provide graduate students the resources they need to excel and graduate with their advanced degrees in order to successfully transition into their desired career by:
- Providing infrastructure for graduate student involvement in SWE
- Developing unique webinars, and local and annual conference sessions tailored to the needs of graduate students
- Contributing and creating resources necessary for successfully navigating grad school
For more information, visit their website at http://gradswe.swe.org/ or email gradswecommunity@gmail.com
Get Involved and Learn More about SWE Affinity Groups
Opt In Lists
Please opt in to the affinity groups that you’re interested in, by going to your member profile at swe.org.
Affinity Group Website
The AGs now have a dedicated website! Visit the website to learn more about individual Affinity Groups, their leadership, and contact information.
