Become a Member of SWE

If you believe in empowering women to success and advance in the field of engineering, we’d like to invite you to become a member of SWE. You do not have to be a woman or even an engineer!

HOW DO I JOIN WICHITA SWE?

SWE - Wichita Section is a section of the national Society of Women Engineers. When you join the national SWE organization through SWE.org, you’ll be added to a local section based on your residence.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO JOIN?

Annual professional dues are $100 a year. Employment status, discounts, joint memberships and other factors can change the price depending on your circumstances. Lifetime membership is also available.

Annual membership for college students majoring in engineering or a STEM field is $20 a year. There is also a one time membership payment of $50 that will last throughout a member’s college career plus one additional year of professional membership after graduating. This requires an expected graduation date on the account.

CAN I PARTICIPATE IN WICHITA SWE EVENTS WITHOUT JOINING THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION?

Of course! We have dozens of events and volunteer opportunities each year that are open to the public and non-members. Just check out our Calendar for upcoming events and come hang out! Being an official SWE member can get you advance notification and discounts, but you can look on our event calendar to find information about jumping in whenever you’d like.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER REASONS FOR JOINING SWE?

Besides showing your support for SWE’s mission, you’ll receive discounts to attending conferences, access to the award-winning SWE magazine, access to MySWE communities for national networking, webinars, podcasts, career resources, and everything else SWE has to offer.

To learn more, visit SWE.org and choose Membership. If you have any further questions, contact us at president@wichitaswe.org.

MORE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

Building skills useful in your career: There are opportunities to plan meetings, organize career guidance events, hone your public speaking skills, and even plan a National Conference. If you present a paper at the National Conference, you will gain visibility for yourself and your company. Being active in a professional organization can show your manager that you have the initiative to take on more responsibility.

Experience of other members: Meeting women from other companies and even reading about the careers of successful members in SWE, the magazine of the Society, can provide you with role-models and possibly mentors. Within your local Section, you can receive advice and even first-hand testimony on issues like getting promoted and balancing work and family.

Networking: SWE offers many opportunities to make contacts at large and small companies. Members often contact other SWE members at potential employers before interviewing to get inside information about the company. When you consider all the mergers, spin-offs, and divestitures that are occurring, a network is a necessity.

Effect on your career: SWE can be of benefit when you need to make a career change. In addition to your local Section, there are nationwide resources to help you with your job search. Send in your information to the SWE Resume Database, or use the job-hunting service from the SWE web page. The annual Career Fair, held during the National Conference is another great place to find a job.

Having Fun: It’s fun to get together with SWE friends. Some meetings are technical and some are planned simply for socializing. Events range from bowling or doing a chocolate tasting night, to even going to the pumpkin patch together!

Gaining Knowledge and Information: You can add to your business knowledge with seminars like “Conflict Management” and “Professional Presence”. Members can supply details about graduate schools, companies, and career changes, too. SWE is a resource on many issues for women in engineering.

Time for yourself: Don’t you deserve a night out every once in awhile? At local meetings, you can converse with a peer group that is hard to find at work or in your neighborhood.

Support: As women engineers and scientists, we can sometimes feel isolated in the workplace. SWE gives you a feeling of belonging, with members to reassure you that you can succeed.