Center for Women
Center for Women
The NASPA Center for Scholarship, Research, and Professional Development for Women examines and advocates issues of concern to women in higher education and student affairs. It designs and implements relevant programs, services, advocacy, and mentoring opportunities for women professionals and students. The Center encourages, in particular, research by women, for women, and about women in student affairs and about women students.
The Center coordinates regular virtual programming through its Meaningful Mentorship Series. Visit the event page for information and to register.
Apply to serve on the Center for Women Board! Applications are due April 15, 2026. Questions: [email protected]
Message from the Chair
It is my honor to serve as Chair of the NASPA Center for Women — a community I have long admired for its commitment to advancing women across every dimension of higher education. As I step into this role, I carry with me a deep belief rooted in my research and practice around humanization: that when we lead with empathy, center the whole person, and build cultures of genuine belonging, we unlock the fullest potential of women's leadership. That belief is the foundation of everything I hope we will build together.
My vision as Chair is simple yet powerful: to cultivate spaces where women in higher education feel seen, supported, and strategically positioned for impact. This means expanding access to meaningful professional development, strengthening intersectional mentorship, amplifying research and scholarship, and ensuring our programming reflects both the brilliance and the complexity of women's leadership journeys.
Our goals this year center on three commitments: connection, elevation, and collaboration. Connection — building authentic community across our partner groups. Elevation — creating platforms that amplify women's voices and scholarship. Collaboration — designing initiatives together that move beyond silos and toward shared influence. These commitments are not just organizational priorities; they are an invitation to every member to show up, contribute, and shape what this Center becomes.
I look forward to leading alongside you — not from the front, but from within. Let us make this a year defined by bold community, purposeful action, and the kind of human-centered leadership our field needs now more than ever.
— Dr. Tanya Johnson, Chair, NASPA Center for Women
About
What the Center for Women Does:
- Serves as an information, networking, and funding resource to support women in producing scholarship and research in the field
- Offers a professional home in NASPA for women, including leaders in women's centers
- Partners with other organizations who are looking at various issues affecting the education and advancement of women
- Publishes an annual journal for scholarship and research on women
- Provides mentoring possibilities for women through our Meaningful Mentorship series
- Collaborates with other organizations that focus on professional development for women
History
In 2001, then NASPA Executive Director, Gwen Dungy drafted a proposal to create a Center for Scholarship, Research, and Professional Development for Women to honor the legacy of the National Association of Women in Education (NAWE).
NAWE was founded in 1915 as a professional association for deans of women (NADW) and evolved into an association addressing issues in higher education focused on the interests of women educators and students. As professional opportunities for women in education expanded, organizations for women began to lose ground. Such was the case with NAWE. In 2000, the association disbanded, transferring some of its programs to NASPA.
The NASPA Center for Women proposed to advance NAWE's work by addressing educational issues relevant to women in higher education. The mission for the Center was to "examine issues of concern to women in education, matters of policy development, and the design and implementation of relevant programs and services for women students." The Center was also envisioned as a professional home for women who are leaders in women's centers.
NASPA President Shannon Ellis championed the Center for Women proposal, and under her presidency, it was approved by the NASPA Board for implementation in 2001.
Mission Statement
The NASPA Center for Scholarship and Professional Development for Women (Center for Women) amplifies issues concerning individuals who identify as women in higher education. It designs and implements relevant programs, services, advocacy and mentoring opportunities for women professionals. The Center encourages, in particular, research by, for, and about women in higher education.
Awards
Congratulations to our 2026 Award Winners
2026 Ruth Strang Research Award
The Ruth Strang Research Award recognizes a NASPA member for their outstanding contributions to the body of knowledge about womxn and gender in higher education. Ruth Strang served as editor of the National Association for Women journal Initiatives: The Journal of NAWE for 25 years and was a prolific writer and editor in field of student affairs.
Dr. Valerie Gómez, Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California
Dissertation: Quiero Que Mi Hija Sea Mejor Que Yo:” How Salvadoran Immigrant Mothers Shape the Academic Aspirations of their Daughters
2026 Zenobia Hikes Memorial Award
Dr. Zenobia Hikes led student affairs divisions at Virginia Tech and Spelman College before she passed away in 2008. Dr. Hikes was recognized posthumously as a NASPA Pillar of the Profession in 2009. The NASPA Foundation and Center for Women established the Zenobia Hikes Memorial Award in her honor to recognize a member who has demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of women in higher education and student affairs and to celebrate leaders who help students to become engaged change agents for the common good.
Dr. Jill Zambito, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
The Center for Women recognized these scholar-practioners at the 2026 NASPA Annual Conference.
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