Officer Descriptions

Officer Descriptions

There is no prior experience required for any of our open positions, but you must be a SWE National Member in order to be elected to our executive board leadership positions.

Elected Position Duties:

  • President
    • Serves as contact point between SWE HQ and the SWE SVS section 
    • Leads executive board and section meetings
    • Coordinates with VP and executive board to plan a calendar of events for year
    • Manages SWE SVS section business, including (but not limited to):
      • Stays connected with SWE HQ
      • Works with Treasurer to manage SWE SVS Endowment Fund
      • Makes decisions in the best interest of the section
    • Writes a President’s Column for the newsletter when needed
  • Vice President
    • Presides at meetings in the absence of the president
    • Plans, coordinates, and recruits committees to manage a series of meetings and programs
    • Coordinates programs with the president and the executive board
    • Provides timely and interesting advance information for e-newsletters
    • Provides or coordinates information on forthcoming events to the secretary for inclusion in meeting notices, e-newsletters or electronic distribution lists
  • Secretary
    • Writes minutes for the meetings and maintains communication with the section members
    • Upholds the SWE HQ requirements and bylaws (when relevant)
    • Works with Newsletter coordinators to encourage communication and correspondence with the section members
    • Maintains membership list and welcomes new members
  • Treasurer
    • Maintains full and accurate accounts of all section receipts and disbursements
    • Distributes semi-annual financial statements to the executive board 
    • Assigns new section leaders in the SWE HQ leadership portal by June 30 each year
    • Completes the section’s financial report in the SWE HQ leadership portal for the previous FY by July 31 each year
    • Files the annual Form 990 with the IRS by November 15 each year

Chair Position Duties:

  • Scholarship Selection Chair
    • Sends scholarship information to colleges and universities in the region in January (scholarship applications due in March)
    • Ensures current list of colleges and universities is accurate and reaches all possible applicants within section’s geographical region
    • Collects applications, coordinates and leads scholarship selection committee
    • Adjusts scholarship selection rubric, as desired
    • Coordinates with Scholarship Fundraiser chair to plan scholarship awards ceremony in April, invites recipients and section members, prepares award certificates for the recipients
  • Scholarship Fundraiser Chair
    • Conceptualizes format and plans fall or spring fundraising event to benefit the SWE SVS scholarship fund
    • Coordinates with Scholarship Selection Chair to select date and venue (spring event is usually in late April or early May)
    • Gathers team of assistants, sends invitations to section members, and handles financial solicitations to engineering firms
    • If silent auction, requests donations and sends thank you letters to donors
  • Community Outreach Chair
    • Serves as section’s community outreach leader
    • Establishes a community outreach effort for the section that serves SWE’s mission, whether in education (elementary/middle/high school, college), professional development (for our members and related collegiate sections) or otherwise
    • Encourages section members to participate in at least one philanthropy event a year (ex: Shriners Hospital donations)
  • Social Chair
    • Plans virtual and/or in-person social events for members to attend
    • Finds creative ways to engage the section’s membership and connect with members
  • Newsletter Coordinator
    • Puts together quarterly e-newsletters with section information
    • Sends out reminders of upcoming events and other informational emails to the membership
    • Solicits or writes articles for the e-newsletter
    • Maintains e-newsletter site (on WordPress) & transmits e-newsletter to WebMaster for posting on website
  • WebMaster
    • Post upcoming events and information on the SWE website (typically monthly)
    • No experience required – SWE provides a very simple interface for accessing and developing on our website!
    • Time commitment is typically between 30 minutes and an hour/month.