About Purdue SWE

In 1954, five years after the first meeting of the National Society of Women Engineers, the Purdue student section of the Society of Women Engineers was incorporated. At that time there were approximately 20 members. In 1967 the first SWE scholarship at Purdue University was established. This scholarship and many others have since been awarded every year at the SWE Awards Program which was first held in 1973. In 1974, Purdue SWE was the first organization to enter a kart into the Purdue Grand Prix race with an all female crew and driver.

        

Purdue holds a distinguished place in SWE's national history as the oldest continuously chartered section in the country. The section has earned Region H's best section award over 10 times, placed 2nd nationally for best student section in 2007, and received the Gold Level Outstanding Collegiate Section Award in 2008. More recently, PSWE has maintained consistent recognition since 2018, primarily earning Gold awards with occasional Silver honors. Beyond SWE-specific accolades, the section earned Purdue's Student Organization of the Year Excellence Award in 2025, a lifetime achievement honor recognizing long-term excellence in programming, leadership, service, campus-community collaboration, and fostering organizational participation, teamwork, and leadership development among all members. With over 600 members, PSWE ranks among the largest student organizations at Purdue and one of the largest SWE collegiate sections nationwide. Purdue alumnae have held leadership positions including National SWE presidents, SWE fellows, board members, and regional and national officers. The success of Purdue SWE has been engraved in history and will continue to thrive in years to come.