Mission Statement
NAWCHE: An Organization Dedicated to Change
The National Association for Women in Catholic Higher Education was founded in 1992. NAWCHE is an organization made up of faculty, administrators, staff and students from Catholic colleges and universities around the country. The spirit of the association is one of sisterhood and solidarity. Its objectives are:
- To facilitate support of one another.
- To create, organize, and disseminate work for justice in the academy.
- To provide a forum for members to speak out on matters relevant to women's issues in the academy especially those concerns unique to Catholic institutions.
These objectives are fostered in part by sharing research on lives of women, by encouraging the development of the quality of the professional life for all groups of women in Catholic collages and universities.
With our past struggles and accomplishments alongside out future goals, we continue to grow as an organization dedicated to the advancement of all women at all levels of Catholic higher education. A significant goal of this organization is to provide faculty, students and administrators with a national and international network to empower women and to affirm our leadership at all Catholic institutions of higher education.
HISTORY
Sharlene Hesse-Biber founded NAWCHE in 1992 and spearheaded its growth and development at Boston College up until its transition to Seattle University in spring 2009.
Accomplishments
2008
MCIX: Building Global Connections: Envisioning Women's Studies and Women's Issues on a Global Context - St. John's University, New York, NY.
2007
NAWCHE's speaker series brings T. Deenan Sharpley-Whiting ( Pimps Up, Ho's Down: Hip Hop's Hold on Young Black Women) and Susan Faludi ( The Terror Dream) to speak at Boston College.
2006
MCVIII: Enacting Social Justice: Women in Catholic Higher Education - Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2005
NAWCHE starts a speaker series bringing guest speakers Peggy Orenstein ( Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Kids, Love and Life in a Half-Changed World), Sarah S. Willie ( Acting Black: College, Identity, and the Performance of Race), and Liza Featherstone ( Selling Women Short: The Landmark battle for workers Rights at Walmart) to Boston College.
2004
MCVII: Creating Circles of Conversation: Women of the Academy, the Church, and the Community - Providence College, Providence, R.I.
2003
NAWCHE Executive Director Sharlene Hesse-Biber and Administrative Coordinator Denise Leckenby publish the book Women in Catholic Higher Education: Border Work, Living Experiences, and Social Justice.
2002
MCVI: Bridging the Divide: Connecting Activism and Academia through Social Justice - Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA.
2001
Attended National Women's Studies (NWSA) conference June 13-17 to discuss issues including avenues for building NAWCHE's connections with NWSA, the climate for Women's Studies at Catholic institutions, institutional membership outreach, and making connections with new members.
2000
MCV: Women and Women's Studies in the New Millennium: Forging New Models for Leadership and Change - Boston College, Boston, MA.
1999
NAWCHE launches a national survey on the status of women studies at Catholic colleges and universities.
1998
MCIV: Ways Forward: The Status of Women and Women's Studies - Trinity College, Washington, D.C.
1997
Created a network of Faculty Representatives at all Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide, encouraging all representatives to begin the necessary conversations between the Jesuit Community, students, and faculty at their home institutions.
1996
MCIII: Listening to Women: A Challenge to Change - Boston College, Boston, MA.
1995
Produced new resources for our collection including a syllabi collection, Teaching the Personal: Women's Studies on the Catholic Campus.
1994
The NAWCHE Newsflash, a periodic up-date, was added to the NAWCHE publications.
MCII: Claiming the Past, Shaping the Future: Women in Catholic Higher Education - Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL.
1993
Increased individual contacts and membership base to over 300 faculty and administrators and institutional sponsorship to six schools.
1992
Held the first national conference for women in Catholic higher education, Making Connections (MCI): Enhancing Women's Studies, Research, and Academic Lives - Boston College, Boston, MA; over 250 participants from 85 institutions.
1991
Established the first National Mailing List of more than 5000 women working in Catholic higher education.
Accomplishments 2008 MCIX: Building Global Connections: Envisioning Women's Studies and Women's Issues on a Global Context - St. John's University, New York, NY. 2007 NAWCHE's speaker series brings T. Deenan Sharpley-Whiting (Pimps Up, Ho's Down: Hip Hop's Hold on Young Black Women) and Susan Faludi (The Terror Dream) to speak at Boston College. 2006 MCVIII: Enacting Social Justice: Women in Catholic Higher Education - Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 2005 NAWCHE starts a speaker series bringing guest speakers Peggy Orenstein (Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Kids, Love and Life in a Half-Changed World), Sarah S. Willie (Acting Black: College, Identity, and the Performance of Race), and Liza Featherstone (Selling Women Short: The Landmark battle for workers Rights at Walmart) to Boston College. 2004 MCVII: Creating Circles of Conversation: Women of the Academy, the Church, and the Community - Providence College, Providence, R.I. 2003 NAWCHE Executive Director Sharlene Hesse-Biber and Administrative Coordinator Denise Leckenby publish the book Women in Catholic Higher Education: Border Work, Living Experiences, and Social Justice. 2002 MCVI: Bridging the Divide: Connecting Activism and Academia through Social Justice - Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA. 2001 Attended National Women's Studies (NWSA) conference June 13-17 to discuss issues including avenues for building NAWCHE's connections with NWSA, the climate for Women's Studies at Catholic institutions, institutional membership outreach, and making connections with new members. 2000 MCV: Women and Women's Studies in the New Millennium: Forging New Models for Leadership and Change - Boston College, Boston, MA. 1999 NAWCHE launches a national survey on the status of women studies at Catholic colleges and universities. 1998 MCIV: Ways Forward: The Status of Women and Women's Studies - Trinity College, Washington, D.C. 1997 Created a network of Faculty Representatives at all Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide, encouraging all representatives to begin the necessary conversations between the Jesuit Community, students, and faculty at their home institutions. 1996 MCIII: Listening to Women: A Challenge to Change - Boston College, Boston, MA. 1995 Produced new resources for our collection including a syllabi collection, Teaching the Personal: Women's Studies on the Catholic Campus. 1994 The NAWCHE Newsflash, a periodic up-date, was added to the NAWCHE publications. MCII: Claiming the Past, Shaping the Future: Women in Catholic Higher Education - Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL. 1993 Increased individual contacts and membership base to over 300 faculty and administrators and institutional sponsorship to six schools. 1992 Held the first national conference for women in Catholic higher education, Making Connections (MCI): Enhancing Women's Studies, Research, and Academic Lives - Boston College, Boston, MA; over 250 participants from 85 institutions. 1991 Established the first National Mailing List of more than 5000 women working in Catholic higher education.
