Join us in our fight against Breast Cancer

Join the Graduate Women’s Organization as we Race for the Cure!

We Can Make A Difference

Unfortunately, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. About 1.3 million women are diagnosed each year. By participating in the 2011 Komen Dallas Race for the Cure, we can make a difference in the lives of many. We would like to ask for your help.

What you can do to help:

1) Join us at our Bake Sale: We’re selling treats outside of Hughes Trigg Student Center - West Bridge, Thursday, October 6, from 10-4. Stop by and pick up some cookies and cupcakes!

2) Donate: You can donate directly to our team via the Susan G. Komen

3) Join us on Race Day: October 15, 2011


Contact team captain Kayla Walker Edin (kwalkeredi@mail.smu.edu) for more details

Travel Grant Available for the National Women's Studies Association Conference

We have received funding from the SMU Student Senate to send students to the National Women's Studies Conference which will be held on November 10-13 in Atlanta, Georgia.

We have two slots available for this conference opportunity. If you're interested in going, please contact Ruth Gilgenbach (gilgenbach@smu.edu) or SMU Graduate Women's Organization ( smugradwomen@gmail.com) by October 7, 2011. We will fill you in on the details of what this funding will cover.

Entering the Academic Job Market

The SMU Graduate Women's Organization invites you to attend a brown bag panel on

Entering the Academic Job Market

Wednesday, October 5
12:00-1:00pm
Hughes-Trigg Portico B-C-D



Panelists include:


Dr. Irina Dumitrescu, Assistant Professor of English, Dedman College
Susan Kress, Director of Education Abroad, SMU International Center
Dr. Pamela Patton, Associate Professor of Art History, Meadows School of the Arts


Please bring lunch and questions! We look forward to seeing you there!


~ the GWO leadership team

Race for the Cure

Come join our "SMU Graduate Women's Organization and Friends" team as we "Race for the Cure" on Saturday, October 15th at Northpark Mall, Dallas!

 Click here to register to join our team, or to make a donation

You have several options for participating in our annual service event. You may RACE for the cure (aka get up early and run) (!), WALK for the cure (a "Fun Run" of 5K), or SLEEP IN for the cure. For the past two years, our group has met and walked together in the 5K 'fun run,' and we have had a great time.

Participation is open to any and all GWO members or "friends" who are passionate about walking/racing/snoozing or otherwise supporting an important cause.

"What can I do to participate in this fabulous event?" you might ask.

First: please follow this link and register. If you are unable to attend but can spare $30, it's a great way to contribute towards an important cause. It will also allow you to create a personal fundraising page and help us reach our goal of raising $3,000 for local breast cancer education, early testing, and national research on the disease.


Second: mark October 6th on your calendar to "Bake For The Cure." Stop by our table at Hughes-Trigg 10AM-4PM for some tasty treats and make a donation. To participate, email Kayla at  kwalkeredi[at]smu[dot]edu.

Last year was a blast-- we raised nearly $2,000. I think we can make our $3,000 goal. Let's do it!

~Kayla, Team Captain
kwalkeredi[at]smu[dot]edu

GWO Fall Planning Meeting--August 20th at 12:00

Want to be more active in the GWO?
Join us for our Fall planning meeting
Saturday, August 20 at 12:00
Dallas Hall room 08

(Located on the ground floor of Dallas Hall, in the back corner of the English Department)

The Graduate Women's Organization will be planning for the upcoming year, and we want you to join us. 

Are you interested in:

• Professional development (past events include "Navigating the Academic Job Market", "Women in Academic Administration" panels)
• Service projects (past projects include: cooking dinner at the Ronald McDonald House; Race for the Cure)
• Social/Networking events (past events include: happy hour with Women in Law, Women in Business)
• Graduate student representation on campus (past/ongoing projects include: lobbying for parental leave policies on campus; improved health insurance access)

Do you want to join a committee, help us plan events, or become an officer?  Do you have ideas for new projects?

This is our biggest planning session of the semester, and it will likely run several hours.  If you can't stay the entire time, don't worry--we're all busy, and we understand.  We'd love to have you for as long as you can join us.  We'll provide snacks and drinks.  See you there!

Can't make it, but you've got an idea for a GWO event?  Send it along!

Any questions?  Send them to smugradwomen[at]gmail[dot]com

See you there!

GWO Business Meeting and Presentation on Mental Health

Join us for our monthly meeting and help us by contributing ideas, feedback or suggestions towards setting up the groundwork for the events to be held in Fall 2011!

Venue: Women's Center at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center
Date: 04/18/2011 (Monday)

Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

As graduate students and teachers, we face the double-challenge of managing our own mental health while also navigating that of our students.

In this month's business meeting, we've decided to include a topical presentation on Mental Health by a fellow graduate student, Mrs.Beth Boulanger, RN. Please feel free to join us!

Venue: Women's Center at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center
Date: 04/18/2011 (Monday)

Time: 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

There will be baked goodies!

Ronald McDonald House of Dallas

Update: Daily Campus Article

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped the GWO cook and craft at the Ronald McDonald House!



I've been volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas since 2007, and it was a pleasure being able to share the "house that love built" with the ladies of the GWO (and others!)

Thomas sums it up for me:


Thanks, everyone!

--Ruth

The GWO has some exciting events coming up and we want you there!

Are you interested in finding more out about what we do "behind the scenes?"
Do you want to get more involved in the GWO this year?

Come to our Coffee, Cookies, and Conversation Meeting
Date: March 21 2011
Time: 4:00 pm
Venue: Women's Center (Hughes Trigg - 3rd floor)


Upcoming Events:

Brown Bag - Women in Administration
Panelists: Ellen Jackofsky, Linda Eads and Gillian McCombs
Date: March 24 2011
Time: 12:30-1:30 pm
Venue: McCord Auditorium (Dallas Hall)

Dinner and art project at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas

Join the GWO and Women in Engineering as we head to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children

Date: March 31 2011
Time: 3:00-7:30 pm

Venue: Meet us at the flagpole at 3:00 if you want to join us from SMU campus.
You can meet us at RMDH at about 3:30 pm.
Cooking: 3:30-5:30 pm
Dinner: 5:30-6:30 pm
Craft with the kids: 6:00-7:00 pm
Wrap up: 7:30 pm

Ronald McDonald House is a great organization that has been serving the community for 30 years, and we hope that you'll join us.


Please contact Ruth Gilgenbach (gilgenbach@smu.edu) for more info or to sign up so we know you're coming.


Please feel free to contact Ina Angeles (iangeles@smu.edu) from Women in Engineering or Akshaya Aradhya (aaradhyaveer@smu.edu) from GWO if you want to donate for the cause.

GWO is now a fully chartered student organization

SMU Graduate Women's Organization is now an official, fully chartered student organizaton.

Many thanks to those of you who spread the word, who took the time to email your Senator, or who joined us at the Senate Meeting yesterday. We really appreciate the countless hours of hard work and for lending us help at the right time.

Want to know more about GWO?

Facts about GWO

The GWO is an organization focused on professional development and support for graduate students who are pursuing careers in academia or research.

We are a voice for Graduate Students on campus. We would love to welcome any undergraduates who would want to be a part of our organization. Please feel free to peruse through our agenda and accomplishments so far:

• Advocated for a parental leave policy from departments, ensuring that students will not be discriminated against for becoming parents while in school

• Advocated for continuity of health insurance for students on medical leave

• We are a voice for Graduate Students to the Administration

• Secured a permanent seat for GWO on the President's Status on the Commission of Women

• Secured a permanent Seat for GWO on 100 Years of Women Committee (part of the University's 2nd Century Campaign)

We conduct two professional development seminars and one community event every semester.

Upcoming Events:

• Women in Administration

• Workshop on Resume building

• Cooking dinner for the needy families in the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas

Past Events:

• Gender Dynamics in the Classroom

• Achieving Work-Life Balance

• Navigating the Academic Job Market

• Academic Publishing while in Graduate School

• Participated in Race for the Cure in 2009 and 2010 (One among the top 5 fundraisers among all schools/colleges/universities. Raised over $300 at a bake sale for this wonderful cause).

The GWO meeting is held on every third Monday of the month from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Women’s Center (Hughes Trigg – 2nd floor).

We look forward to meeting you there!

Please feel free to email us at (smugradwomen@gmail.com) or leave a comment on this site to get in touch with us.