# Association for Women in Communications

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

## History
### Theta Sigma Phi

The Association for Women in Communications began in 1909 as Theta Sigma Phi, an honorary society at the University of Washington. 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.
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. 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.
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.

### Women in Communications

In 1972, Theta Sigma Phi was renamed to Women in Communications, Inc. (WICI). That year, the organization also voted to admit men into membership. 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. 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. Membership peaked in the mid-1980s at around 13,000; by 1995 the organization had reduced to around 8,000 members and significant debt.
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.

### Association for Women in Communications

In 1996 WICI was dissolved, and the organization was renamed the Association for Women in Communications. 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, the Headliner Award (since 1939), and The Matrix Awards (since 1970).

## 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:
* Professional Certification Program – recognizes excellence in all areas of communications; provides an opportunity to demonstrate communication and management skills and enhance employment/client potential.
* Edith Wortman First Amendment Award – honors professional communicators for their efforts relating to First Amendment issues.
* Barbara Erickson Scholarship Fund – allows college students to attend the AWC National Professional Conference.

## Chapters
### Theta Sigma Phi chapters

Following is a list of Theta Sigma Phi chapters as of 1968.
| Chapter | Charter date | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | 1909 | University of Washington | Seattle, Washington | Inactive |
| Beta | 1910 | University of Wisconsin | Madison, Wisconsin | Inactive |
| Gamma | 1911 | University of Missouri | Columbia, Missouri | Inactive |
| Delta | 1913 | Indiana University Bloomington | Bloomington, Indiana | Inactive |
| Eta | 1913 | Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | Inactive |
| Zeta | 1915 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | Inactive |
| Epsilon | 1914 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | Inactive |
| Theta | 1915 | University of Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | Inactive |
| Iota | 1916 | Stanford University | Stanford, California | Inactive |
| Kappa | 1916 | University of Montana | Missoula, Montana | Inactive |
| Lambda | 1916 | University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska | Inactive |
| Mu | 1916 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Inactive |
| Nu | 1917 | University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Inactive |
| Xi | 1919 | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, Texas | Inactive |
| Omicron | 1917 | Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | Inactive |
| Pi | 1918 | University of Illinois | Urbana, Illinois | Inactive |
| Rho | 1918 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | Inactive |
| Sigma | 1919 | DePauw University | Greencastle, Indiana | Inactive |
| Tau | 1920 | New York University | New York City, New York | Inactive |
| Upsilon | 1920 | Lawrence University | Appleton, Wisconsin | Inactive |
| Phi | 1920 | Knox College | Galesburg, Illinois | Inactive |
| Chi | 1920 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | Inactive |
| Psi | 1920 | Columbia University | New York City, New York | Inactive |
| Omega | 1920 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | Inactive |
| Alpha Alpha | 1922 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Inactive |
| Alpha Beta | 1923 | Northwestern University | Evanston, Illinois | Inactive |
| Alpha Gamma | 1923 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Inactive |
| Alpha Delta | 1923 | Grinnell College | Grinnell, Iowa | Inactive |
| Alpha Epsilon | 1925 | Mary Hardin–Baylor College | Belton, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Zeta | 1925 | Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Inactive |
| Alpha Eta | 1925 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | Inactive |
| Alpha Theta | 1926 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Inactive |
| Alpha Iota | 1927 | Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | Inactive |
| Alpha Kappa | 1927 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Alpha Lambda | 1927 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | Inactive |
| Alpha Mu | 1930 | Southern Methodist University | Dallas, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Nu | 1930 | Baylor University | Waco, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Xi | 1930 | University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia | Inactive |
| Alpha Omicron | 1930 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | Inactive |
| Alpha Pi | 1932 | Texas Woman's University | Denton, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Rho | 1932 | Drake University | Des Moines, Iowa | Inactive |
| Alpha Sigma | 1933 | Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Tau | 1934 | Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | Inactive |
| Alpha Upsilon | 1941 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas | Inactive |
| Alpha Phi | 1941 | Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | Inactive |
| Alpha Chi | 1942 | Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Inactive |
| Alpha Psi | 1944 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | Inactive |
| Alpha Omega | 1946 | Franklin College | Franklin, Indiana | Inactive |
| Beta Alpha | 1947 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Inactive |
| Beta Beta | 1947 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | Inactive |
| Beta Gamma | 1949 | University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Inactive |
| Beta Delta | 1949 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, South Dakota | Inactive |
| Beta Epsilon | 1950 | University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Inactive |
| Beta Zeta | 1951 | Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Inactive |
| Beta Eta | 1952 | University of Mississippi | Oxford, Mississippi | Inactive |
| Beta Theta | 1952 | University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Inactive |
| Beta Iota | 1953 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, Florida | Inactive |
| Beta Kappa | 1953 | University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | Inactive |
| Beta Lambda | 1954 | Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | Inactive |
| Beta Mu | 1954 | Wayne State University | Detroit, Michigan | Inactive |
| Beta Nu | 1955 | University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | Inactive |
| Beta Xi | 1956 | University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | Inactive |
| Beta Omicron | 1957 | American University | Washington, D.C. | Inactive |
| Beta Pi | 1958 | San Jose State University | San Jose, California | Inactive |
| Beta Rho | 1959 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Inactive |
| Beta Sigma | 1959 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | Inactive |
| Beta Tau | 1961 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Carbondale, Illinois | Inactive |
| Beta Upsilon | 1961 | 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.
| Chapter | Location | Status |
| Bloomington/Normal | Bloomington, Illinois and Normal, Illinois | Active |
| Detroit | Detroit, Michigan | Active |
| Lubbock | Lubbock, Texas | Active |
| Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, California | Active |
| Seattle | Seattle, Washington | Active |
| South Florida | South Florida | Active |
| 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

| Name | Chapter | Notability | Awards |
| Shirley Abrahamson | | Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | Headliner Award 1987 |
| Myrna Blyth | | writer and editor | Headliner Award 1992 |
| Rita Cosby | | news anchor for Fox News, MSNBC, and Newsmax | Headliner Award 2002 |
| Edna Ferber | Honorary | Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and playwright | |
| Zona Gale | Honorary | novelist, playwright, and the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama | |
| Heloise | | syndicated newspaper advice columnist | Headliner 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 disabilities | Headliner Award 1987 |
| Ann Liguori | South Florida | sports broadcaster | Headliner Award 2001 |
| Daphne Alloway McVicker | | short story writer | Headliner Award 1940 |
| Harriet Monroe | Honorary | Poet and founding publisher and editor of Poetry magazine | Headliner Award 1975 |
| Harriet Monroe | Honorary | Poet and founding publisher and editor of Poetry magazine | Lifetime Achievement Award 2001 |
| Harriet Monroe | Honorary | Poet and founding publisher and editor of Poetry magazine | Hall of Fame 2003 |
| Marjorie Paxson | | newspaper journalist, editor, and publisher | Headliner 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 | |
| Gail Sheehy | | author, journalist, and lecturer | Headliner Award 2000 |
| Barbara Sher | | speaker, career and lifestyle coach, and author. | Headliner Award 1998 |
| Sara Teasdale | Honorary | Lyric poet who won the 1917 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry | |
| Ida Tarbell | Honorary | Pioneering investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the Progressive Era | |
| Barbara Walters | | broadcast journalist and television personality | Headliner Award 1994 |
| Ella Wheeler Wilcox | Honorary | author and poet | |
| Mary Alice Williams | | pioneering journalist and broadcast executive who broke gender barriers by becoming the first female prime time network anchor | Headliner Award 1996 |