Association for Professional and Academic Women (APAW) is an organization affiliated with the Office of Women in Higher Education at the American Council on Education.  APAW works to foster connections among women in various sectors of the University, promote women’s leadership, and encourage and support women leaders of diverse backgrounds.

History

The Association for Professional and Academic Women was created in 1979 “to effect and ensure that professional women at URI are accorded just and equal recognition, treatment, and advancement.” The organization maintains an open membership policy and welcomes the participation of women from all levels of administration, staff, and faculty.

Today, APAW:

• works to ensure equal recognition and advancement of professional and academic women;
• gives support to women individually and collectively;
• sponsors informal meetings on topics of interest to women;
• provides opportunities for URI women to meet and work together across departmental, college and divisional lines;
• annually hosts networking receptions in the fall and winter to welcome new faculty and staff to the University of Rhode Island, and
• annually recognizes a URI woman for her efforts to advance this mission and celebrates this recognition at the “Woman of the Year” Awards Ceremony

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Debbie Suggs, APAW President, at dsuggs530@mail.uri.edu