SWIPS (Supporting Women in Political Science) had an eventful fall 2023 semester. They had several guest speakers, attended conferences, hosted social events, and held many discussions over films and presentations.
From September 22 through the 23rd, several SWIPS members attended the Texas Tribune Festival. Here they had the opportunity to see speakers from across the U.S. and they attended panels such as, “Making the Connection: the latest on getting Texans the broadband access they deserve” and “The Future of America: Mayors on how big cities are changing” (featuring the mayor of Kansas City, El Paso, and San Antonio.)
On September 26th, SWIPS invited the department’s own Dr. Franziska Boheme Newell to speak to the group about feminism and international relations. One student who attended this event said “this discussion allowed members to gain insight into the various policies that are impacting women today.”
On October 7th, members received a guided tour of the Texas State Capitol led by Representative Erin Zwieners’ Chief of Staff, Miguel Arredondo. Fourteen SWIPS members were in attendance, and they got to see features of the Capitol such as the House Chamber, the Subterrnean Vault, and the representative name board.
SWIPS hosted a lecture-style meeting on October 10th, featuring Dr. Helen Lowman from the university’s public administration program. Dr. Lowman spoke about her experience in the public sector, including being the President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Country/Associate Director of the Peace Corps program in China, and acting Country Director in Magnolia.
On October 24th, SWIPS held a discussion about the current U.S. Supreme Court session and local elections. On October 25th, they co-hosted the “Get Out the Vote” social – an early voter turnout event – alongside Move Texas and Texas Rising. This event provided students with the chance to walk to the polls with officers and socialize with each other and the organizations afterward.
On November 7th, members of SWIPS were invited to attend a viewing party of the Barbie Movie, which featured popcorn and refreshments. This event was followed by a discussion on November 26th, where members were able to talk about the various themes surrounding the film, such as feminism and finding your path.
SWIPS is a nonpartisan women’s organization at Texas State University. They are a professional education and development organization centered around aiding political science majors and other students with exploring all facets of political science so they may discover their professional and academic interests. SWIPS meets every other Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
If you’d like to learn more information about this organization, you can contact SWIPS President Myleen Gamez at mlg269@txstate.edu.
