Association for Women in Communications

Last updated
Association for Women in Communications
AbbreviationAWC
FormationApril 8, 1909;115 years ago (1909-04-08) [1]
Founded at University of Washington
Type Nonprofit
Headquarters4730 S. National Avenue, Suite A1
Location
Membership3,000 active members
Publication
The Matrix
    the Communiqué (e-news)
Award(s) The Matrix Awards
Website www.womcom.org
Formerly called
Theta Sigma Phi (ΘΣΦ)
Women in Communications, Inc.

The Association for Women in Communications (AWC) is an American professional organization for women in the communications industry. [2] [3] [4] It was formed as Theta Sigma Phi in 1909 at the University of Washington.

Contents

History

The original badge of Theta Sigma Phi The logo of Theta Sigma Phi.jpb.jpg
The original badge of Theta Sigma Phi

Theta Sigma Phi

The Association for Women in Communications began in 1909 as Theta Sigma Phi, an honorary society at the University of Washington. [2] [4] [5] It was founded by seven female students at the University of Washington in Seattle who had entered the college's new journalism program, the second of its kind in the country. By 1915, there were Theta Sigma Phi chapters at the universities of Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Ohio State University. Officers from the Washington Chapter still doubled as national officers, and the organization began publishing The Matrix, a Magazine for Women Journalists. [6]

In 1918, Theta Sigma Phi held its first convention at the University of Kansas. A year later, women in Kansas City founded the first alumnae chapter (now known as professional chapters), followed by women in Des Moines and Indianapolis.

World War I brought more women into newspaper jobs as their male colleagues went to battle. Theta Sigma Phi member Alice Rohe was a United Press reporter in Rome; Bessie Beatty of the San Francisco Bulletin and Sigrid Schultz of the Chicago Tribune reported from Germany as the war ended. But in the postwar economic slump, hostility against "women in men's jobs" ran high. Many editors relegated women to society pages instead of "hard news".

Although women gained the right to vote in 1920, support lagged for other reforms. Ruby Black, who was national president, editor of The Matrix and the first manager of an employment bureau for members, noted in 1931 that female journalists could not get reporting jobs at the same pay as similarly qualified men.

Theta Sigma Phi strengthened as a national network during the 1930s. The association hired a professional director and founded a national office in 1934. [7] It inaugurated the Headliner Awards in 1939 to honor members who had made outstanding contributions to the field. The group gave Eleanor Roosevelt honorary membership for her efforts to aid female communicators. The First Lady's most notable action was to close her news conferences to male reporters. Roosevelt contributed several articles to The Matrix. [6]

By 1940, Theta Sigma Phi had 39 chapters, and World War II was expanding opportunities for women. However inequality persisted, and women were regarded as temporary or less serious workers. At the Theta Sigma Phi convention in 1946, delegates required all chapters to eliminate any race restrictions from their bylaws.

By 1950, the group had grown to 47 campus chapters and 29 alumnae groups as more women began to work. In 1964, Theta Sigma Phi established its headquarters in Austin, Texas. Jo Caldwell Meyer retired after serving as executive secretary for 24 years, leaving a legacy of leadership and personal attention to members' needs. [6]

Women in Communications

In 1972, Theta Sigma Phi was renamed to Women in Communications, Inc. (WICI). [2] [4] That year, the organization also voted to admit men into membership. [8] [9] In 1973, Women in Communications created an awards program (later named the Clarion Awards) to recognize excellence in communications. A new monthly, National Newsletter joined The Matrix in recording the group's news. WICI joined the national ERA coalition to fight the mounting opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.

In 1979, WICI united with eleven communications organizations to found the First Amendment Congress, which works to preserve First Amendment rights. [10] WICI increasingly defended the freedoms of speech and the press. Leaders protested the news blackout during the invasion of Grenada and spoke out to Congress against proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act. More than 100 chapters organized congressional letter-writing campaigns. WICI joined the National Committee on Pay Equity and awarded Rep. Mary Rose Oakar of Ohio an honorary membership because of her leadership on the issue.

In early 1988, the WICI Board of Directors moved the group's headquarters to Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, to be closer to the seat of government. [11] Membership peaked in the mid-1980s at around 13,000; by 1995 the organization had reduced to around 8,000 members and significant debt. [12]

WICI leaders instituted the Rising Star Award in 1990 for outstanding student members. Laura Glad, of California State University at Fullerton, was the first recipient. WICI delegates voiced support for the Civil Rights Act, which President Bush signed in 1991, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, which President Clinton signed in 1993. The end of the year saw a new partnership emerge between WICI and Capital Cities/ABC Inc. on its "Stop Sexual Harassment" campaign. [13]

Association for Women in Communications

In 1996 WICI was dissolved, and the organization was renamed the Association for Women in Communications. [2] [3] [4] [14] [15] At that time, management of the organization was handed to a management firm, and finances stabilized under the new board and organization. The current firm is Club Management Services in Springfield, Missouri. The nonprofit AWC Matrix Foundation was established in 1998 as an educational affiliate.

Activities

The society's publication The Matrix, a Magazine for Women Journalists was established in 1916. It was replaced by Communiqué, an electronic newsletter. The association presents the Clarion Award [16] [17] , the Headliner Award (since 1939) [18] , and The Matrix Awards (since 1970). [19]

Foundation

The nonprofit AWC Matrix Foundation was established in 1998 as an educational affiliate. The AWC Matrix Foundation promoted the advancement of women in the communications profession by providing funds for education, research, and publications. The foundation's three initiatives are:

Chapters

Theta Sigma Phi chapters

Following is a list of Theta Sigma Phi chapters as of 1968. [20] [21]

ChapterCharter dateInstitutionLocationStatusReferences
Alpha1909 University of Washington Seattle, Washington Inactive
Beta1910 University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Inactive
Gamma1911 University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Inactive
Delta1913 Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, Indiana Inactive
Eta1913 Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio Inactive
Zeta1915 University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma Inactive
Epsilon1914 University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Inactive [5]
Theta1915 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Inactive
Iota1916 Stanford University Stanford, California Inactive
Kappa1916 University of Montana Missoula, Montana Inactive
Lambda1916 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska Inactive
Mu1916 Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas Inactive
Nu1917 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Inactive
Xi1919 University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas Inactive
Omicron1917 Iowa State University Ames, Iowa Inactive
Pi1918 University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois Inactive
Rho1918 University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Inactive
Sigma1919 DePauw University Greencastle, Indiana Inactive
Tau1920 New York University New York City, New York Inactive
Upsilon1920 Lawrence University Appleton, Wisconsin Inactive [5]
Phi1920 Knox College Galesburg, Illinois Inactive [5]
Chi1920 University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky Inactive [5]
Psi1920 Columbia University New York City, New York Inactive [5]
Omega1920 Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Inactive [5]
Alpha Alpha1922 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Inactive
Alpha Beta1923 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Inactive
Alpha Gamma1923 Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin Inactive
Alpha Delta1923 Grinnell College Grinnell, Iowa Inactive
Alpha Epsilon1925 Mary Hardin–Baylor College Belton, Texas Inactive
Alpha Zeta1925 Washington State University Pullman, Washington Inactive
Alpha Eta1925 Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon Inactive
Alpha Theta1926 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Inactive
Alpha Iota1927 Butler University Indianapolis, Indiana Inactive
Alpha Kappa1927 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana Inactive
Alpha Lambda1927 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado Inactive
Alpha Mu1930 Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas Inactive
Alpha Nu1930 Baylor University Waco, Texas Inactive
Alpha Xi1930 University of Georgia Athens, Georgia Inactive
Alpha Omicron1930 University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Inactive
Alpha Pi1932 Texas Woman's University Denton, Texas Inactive
Alpha Rho1932 Drake University Des Moines, Iowa Inactive
Alpha Sigma1933 Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Inactive
Alpha Tau1934 Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania Inactive
Alpha Upsilon1941 Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas Inactive
Alpha Phi1941 Ohio University Athens, Ohio Inactive
Alpha Chi1942 Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma Inactive
Alpha Psi1944 Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan Inactive
Alpha Omega1946 Franklin College Franklin, Indiana Inactive
Beta Alpha1947 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota Inactive
Beta Beta1947 West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia Inactive
Beta Gamma1949 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive
Beta Delta1949 South Dakota State University Brookings, South Dakota Inactive
Beta Epsilon1950 University of Houston Houston, Texas Inactive
Beta Zeta1951 Kent State University Kent, Ohio Inactive
Beta Eta1952 University of Mississippi Oxford, Mississippi Inactive
Beta Theta1952 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico Inactive
Beta Iota1953 University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida Inactive
Beta Kappa1953 University of North Texas Denton, Texas Inactive
Beta Lambda1954 Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana Inactive
Beta Mu1954 Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan Inactive
Beta Nu1955 University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho Inactive
Beta Xi1956 University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Inactive
Beta Omicron1957 American University Washington, D.C. Inactive
Beta Pi1958 San Jose State University San Jose, California Inactive
Beta Rho1959 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Inactive
Beta Sigma1959 University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Inactive
Beta Tau1961 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, Illinois Inactive
Beta Upsilon1961 University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Inactive

AWC chapters

Following are the chapters of the Association for Women in Communication, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in italics. [22]

ChapterLocationStatusReferences
Bloomington/Normal Bloomington, Illinois and Normal, Illinois Active
Detroit Detroit, Michigan Active [23]
Lubbock Lubbock, Texas Active [24]
Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California Active [25]
Seattle Seattle, Washington Active
South Florida South Florida Active [26]
Springfield, IL Springfield, Illinois Active
Springfield, MO Springfield, Missouri Active
Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma Active
Washington, D.C. Metro Area Washington, D.C. Active

Notable members

NameChapterNotabilityAwardsReferences
Shirley Abrahamson Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Headliner Award 1987
Myrna Blyth writer and editorHeadliner Award 1992
Rita Cosby news anchor for Fox News, MSNBC, and Newsmax Headliner Award 2002 [18]
Edna Ferber Honorary Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and playwright [27]
Zona Gale Honorarynovelist, playwright, and the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama [27]
Heloise syndicated newspaper advice columnistHeadliner Award 1994
Julilly House Kohler writer of books for children
Margaret Larson broadcast journalist and television presenter.Headliner Award 2004
Gini Laurie leader of the independent living movement for people with disabilitiesHeadliner Award 1987
Ann Liguori South Floridasports broadcasterHeadliner Award 2001 [18]
Daphne Alloway McVicker short story writerHeadliner Award 1940
Harriet Monroe HonoraryPoet and founding publisher and editor of Poetry magazineHeadliner Award 1975
Lifetime Achievement Award 2001
Hall of Fame 2003
Marjorie Paxson newspaper journalist, editor, and publisherHeadliner Award 1998
Jeanine Pirro television host, judge, and attorney
Eleanor Roosevelt Honorary, 1934 First Lady of the United States, first chair of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, and first US Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights [2]
Gail Sheehy author, journalist, and lecturerHeadliner Award 2000 [18]
Barbara Sher speaker, career and lifestyle coach, and author.Headliner Award 1998 [18]
Sara Teasdale Honorary Lyric poet who won the 1917 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry [27]
Ida Tarbell HonoraryPioneering investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the Progressive Era [27]
Barbara Walters broadcast journalist and television personalityHeadliner Award 1994
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Honoraryauthor and poet [27]
Mary Alice Williams pioneering journalist and broadcast executive who broke gender barriers by becoming the first female prime time network anchorHeadliner Award 1996

References

  1. ↑ Theta Sigma Phi. Nu chapter papers at University of Minnesota
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Burt, Elizabeth V. (2000). Women's Press Organizations, 1881-1999. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 11–20. ISBN   9780313306617 . Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Kopecki, Dawn (1996). "Makeover gives group new identity, no staff". The Washington Times.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sterling, Christopher H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio. Taylor & Francis. pp. 177–179. ISBN   9781579582494 . Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Journalism Sorority has a large program". University Daily Kansan. Lawrence, Kansas. 14 May 1920. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 "AWC is One of the Originals". Association for Women in Communications. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ Hatton, Isabel (October 1938). "Theta Sigma Phi Convention" (PDF). The Key. Vol. 55, no. 3. p. 325.
  8. ↑ Marzolf, Marion (1977). Up from the Footnote: A History of Women Journalists. Hastings House, ISBN   9780803875029
  9. ↑ Nadler, Lawrence B.; Nadler, Marjorie Keeshan;, Todd-Mancillas, William R (1987). Advances in Gender and Communication Research. University Press of America, ISBN   9780819164780
  10. ↑ "The 1970s: New name, new strengths". The Association for Women in Communications. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  11. ↑ "The '80s: A Decade of Growth, Change and Leadership". Association for Women in Communications. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
  12. ↑ Drale, Christina S. (2003). Association for Women in Communications. In Sterling, Christopher H., Ed. Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set. Taylor & Francis, ISBN   9781579582494
  13. ↑ "The 1990s: Embracing the Future". The Association for Women in Communications. Archived from the original on 2014-04-23. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Association for Women in Communications Celebrates 100 Years of Championing Women in Communications". Women's Health Weekly via HighBeam Research. 2009. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2012.(subscription required)
  15. ↑ Bulkeley, Christy C (2004). Whose news? Progress and status of women in newspapers (mostly) and television news. - Seeking Equity for Women in Journalism and Mass Communication Education: a 30-year update. Taylor & Francis. pp. 183–204. ISBN   9781135624002 . Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  16. ↑ ARTnews Wins a Clarion Award, in ARTnews 07/01/10.
  17. ↑ "About Clarion Awards". The Association for Women in Communications. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Headliner Award". The Association for Women in Communications. 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Overview: The Annual NYWICI Matrix Awards". New York Women in Communications, Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  20. ↑ William Raimond Baird (1957). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. p. 630.
  21. ↑ William Raimond Baird (1977). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. p. 535.. Baird's Manual is also available online here: The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  22. ↑ "Find a Chapter". The Association for Women in Communications. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  23. ↑ "About Us". AWC Detroit. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  24. ↑ "About". Association for Women in Communication Lubbock. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  25. ↑ "Home". AWC Santa Barbara. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  26. ↑ "Home". Women in Communications South Florida. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 University of Missouri (1925). Journalism Series. The University. p. 12.
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