Due to the pandemic, AWSM is not accepting applications  for new student chapters at this time.
The AWSM Board will re-evaluate this following the conclusion of each semester to see if/when opening applications  is possible.

Planning ahead and generating interest among students and faculty members before applying will increase your chance of being officially recognized by AWSM. For instance, a prospective chapter with 15 interested students already signed up as student members of national AWSM will have a greater chance than one with three. A strong outline of plans for the chapter (potential events and speakers) also will make your chapter a more attractive candidate.

Yes. AWSM will “admit” up to five new chapters each year. Capping the number of official student chapters allows national AWSM to give each chapter the guidance it deserves. Planning ahead and generating interest amongst students, faculty members and professionals before applying to will increase chances of being officially recognized by AWSM. For instance, a prospective chapter with 20 interested students already signed up as student members of national AWSM will have a greater chance of becoming an official student chapter than one with five. A strong outline of plans for the chapter (targeted guest speakers, potential events, etc.) will also make your chapter a more attractive candidate.

AWSM prides itself not only advancing women in sports media, but creating a community of members of all ages and in all areas of the field. Being a student chapter means you are fully welcomed into the AWSM family. You will have access to member-only benefits, such as AWSM job board, student chapter exclusive events and priority access to registering to programming. Additionally, all student chapters will be guided by professional AWSM members, creating plenty of networking and mentorship opportunities. Finally, student chapters allow students at universities with a similar interest in sports media to connect with one another and, hopefully, form valuable friendships and professional relationships that will continue when entering the workforce.

The student chapter program is a full partnership with national AWSM. In order to take advantage of the resources our organization can provide, student members must register as national AWSM members. The student fee is $25 per calendar year (c’mon, you probably spend more than that on Starbucks each week!) and may be tax deductible because AWSM is a nonprofit organization. Register at awsmonline.org.

Brainstorm with interested students and faculty members to come up with a variety of meetings and events that will most benefit your chapter. The most successful student chapters have a healthy blend of social, educational and professional development activities. Reach out to local media professionals that could be a guest speaker or part of a discussion panel. Hold workshops where peers, faculty members and professionals can critique resumes, cover letters and work samples or provide job interview advice. Throw a watch party for big sporting events or take part in a community service outing. National AWSM is also here to help. Some of the most prominent female sports media professionals in our field today are members of AWSM and we can help connect you to them for conference calls, Skype chats or even in-person visits. Just ask!

Traditional fundraising ideas like bake sales
or car washes can work well on campuses. Establishments such as Blaze Pizza, Chipotle and Jamba Juice offer opportunities as well. And, don’t forget about looking into options on campus – such as student government or the communications school, which may have funds available.

AWSM’s internship/scholarship program has
placed more than 150 female college students interested in sports media careers
in paid summer internships with employers such as ESPN, MLB.com and USA Today. Details can be found here.

Yes! AWSM stands for the Association for Women in Sports Media, not the Association of Women in Sports Media. Our membership is open to anybody who supports the advancement of women in this field. 

National AWSM’s board is always available.
Contacts for every board member can be found on the AWSM About Us page.

Yes. Student chapters are a branch of national AWSM, which means we need to report finances of all chapters to the IRS for tax purposes. Additionally, most schools will require a regular financial report as part of being an official student organization. Having a student chapter treasurer is recommended.

Yes! We have a student chapter meeting on the opening day of each convention and there are numerous learning and networking
opportunities available. Also keep an eye out for our regional events, announced in email blasts and on social media.

All chapters will be evaluated on an annual basis, taking place at the end of each academic year. AWSM will notify each chapter advisor by July 31 of the results. If a chapter is found not to be upholding guidelines set forth by national AWSM, that chapter will be placed on probation for a 90-day period. At the end of 90 days, the chapter will be re-evaluated and allowed to continue operations or suspended. Suspension of a chapter in no way precludes an individual attending or employed by a university from being an AWSM member in good standing. Chapters which have been suspended are eligible to reapply after one academic year. Example: School X is suspended July 31, 2000 – it may reapply on August 1, 2001.

A chapter will be suspended when it is found not to be upholding guidelines set forth by national AWSM – which may include: absence of continuous activity and communication with national AWSM, failure to meet deadlines set by the AWSM Board, failure to have elected officers in place, lack of chapter members joining national AWSM, maintaining good standing at the host college/university, failure in being officially recognized by the host college/university as a student organization.