The Leadership Corps is a new member involvement opportunity being created to support AAUW's grassroots. It is based in community-organizing principles and tactics and will provide a corps of trained member leaders, serving as grassroots liaisons to help us identify and address current needs, encourage branch leadership development, foster effective multi-way communication, increase sharing of resources and strategies, and assist membership growth.

Any AAUW member with a passion for the mission, a vision for AAUW's future, and a talent for seeing and inspiring leadership in others will want to be a part of the Leadership Corps. The Leadership Corps presents an opportunity for AAUW members to apply their insights and skills to assisting branch development, encouraging membership growth, and nurturing leadership to advance AAUW’s mission and future. Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons will receive training in identifying and mentoring leadership talent in others, membership recruitment, effective communications strategies, and other community/relational organizing skills.

Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons will have the opportunity to connect with members and leaders at the grassroots level and learn more about local needs, issues, resources, etc. This will provide Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons greater insight into branch, state, and member interests and priorities and help them provide guidance in local planning and implementation of AAUW's mission-based programming and membership development. It will also help to convey specific interest areas, concerns, and/or geographic needs to national leadership and staff, facilitating quicker, clearer, and more effective responsiveness. In addition to the skills training and experience this offers Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons, it also provides them the satisfaction of supporting member leaders as they initiate programs and form collaborative partnerships within their communities.

Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons will be reaching out to AAUW branch leaders to provide mentoring and assistance. Whether you are a member of an AAUW branch (an officer or not) or a member-at-large interested in becoming involved with other AAUW members, please fill out the online form here to indicate areas of branch programming or administration for which you would like assistance.

What skills should prospective Leadership Corps field liaisons have?
Applicants need not be current officers, but they should be individuals who

• have a strong commitment to AAUW's mission and Value Promise;
• have the ability to articulate the relevance of AAUW’s work to members and the general community;
• exhibit strong leadership qualities;
• have the ability to motivate, inspire, and include others in commitment to the mission;
• are dedicated to expanding AAUW's membership and program outreach;
• have good multi-way communication skills;
• have the time and commitment to devote to the Leadership Corps role and the ability to make a two-year commitment to it;
• are able to travel when necessary;
• are adept at modern tools of communication (e-mailing essential); and
• are comfortable with and effective in social networking.

All AAUW members are eligible to apply to serve as members of the Leadership Corps. Leadership Corps grassroots liaisons will be asked initially for a two-year commitment. Their activities will be coordinated by AAUW staff at the direction of the AAUW board.

The Application deadline for the Leadership Corps has passed.  For more information, see the the Leadership Corps Overview, the Leadership Corps FAQ, the associated position description, the Current Topics Briefing on the Leadership Corps.