Office of the President

President's Commission on Women's Issues

Go to the 2019 Celebration of Women page

2019 Women of Influence Award winners: Christina Sessoms, Elisabeth Smela, Cynthia Edmunds, Ugochi Chinemere, Andrea Goodwin, and Ellin Scholnick (Chair, President’s Commission of Women’s Issues)
2019 Women of Influence Award winners

Call for Nominations! Spread the word!

The President's Commission on Women's Issues (PCWI) established the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award in 1977. In 2017, the awards were renamed Women of Influence. The Women of Influence Awards recognize up to five members of our community who have distinguished themselves by working with and for women on our campus and in our community.

Nominate to the PCWI Award via this Google Forms

PCWI is interested in applicants who have actively worked on behalf of diverse (in identity, discipline, and other dimensions of difference) communities of women. Nominees should be accomplished as University of Maryland members (students, staff (both exempt and non-exempt), or faculty) with evidence of leadership in one or more of the core areas listed below including:

  1. MENTORSHIP: formally and/or informally fostering the development of women & girls.
  2. WORK/LIFE BALANCE: strengthening our campus community for working women.
  3. SOCIAL & POLITICAL JUSTICE: supporting issues of diversity, inclusion, & justice by addressing various ways our community is impacted by sexism and all intersecting forms of discrimination.
  4. PREVENTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT: and other forms of sexual misconduct.
  5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: engaging the community at UMD and beyond to strengthen the experiences of women and girls.

PCWI strongly encourages nominations of BIPOC women, immigrant women, women with disabilities, women veterans, LGBTQ+ people, and other underrepresented populations of women. We welcome nominations regardless of assigned sex and/or gender expression.

Nominate via this google form ASAP for nomination and consideration.

Please note any inquiries at the end of this form, or contact:

PCWI Graduate Assistant Angie Peterson (ajkdp@umd.edu, they/any, 240.676.6747), or: Co-Chairs Erin McClure (elmc@umd.edu, she/her, 301.405.2437) and Linda Steiner (lsteiner@umd.edu, she/her, 301.405.2426).

Learn more about the President’s Commission on Women’s Issues Award

Nominate Women of Influence via this Google Form by Monday, April 4th.

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