The magic of SHPE takes place at the chapter level. Our local student and professional chapters are the secret sauce to making a nationwide organization feel like Familia. They cater to the specific needs of their members, giving them support, connection, and FUN when they need it most.
Our chapters keep it personal.
SHPE may be the nation’s largest network for Hispanic students and professionals in STEM, but we still prioritize the personal needs of our members. Our familia is made up of local chapters - schools, cities, or organizations with their own SHPE chapter. These chapters keep SHPE relevant and accessible to their unique membership with targeted educational events, mentoring programs, and networking opportunities.
Student Chapters
SHPE started out in 1974 with just a couple of college chapters in California. Now, there are more than 245 across the country! There are chapters at the community college, college, university, and levels. If you’re in high school, there are junior chapters for high school students. If your school doesn’t have a chapter yet, let’s work together to get one going.
Professional Chapters
Professional chapters can take shape in many forms. They can be company-specific or city-focused. They can also include government agencies, nonprofits and other types of organizations.
Region-at-Large
Anyone can join SHPE. If there’s not a local student or professional chapter, you can become a member “At-Large” within your geographic region. You will receive all of the same benefits as those who belong to a specific chapter.
Wherever you are in the country, there’s probably a SHPE chapter nearby. Hundreds of cities, colleges, and universities already have SHPE chapters. And if your city, college, or organization hasn’t established a chapter yet, we’ll help you get one off the ground.
Click below to see all SHPE Professional & Student Chapters
Request a Chapter Visit
- Are you in charge of a struggling or soon to be revived chapter?
- Does your chapter have trouble finding good programming or effectively implementing projects?
- Does SHPE work well as a club/organization at your school, but not really have a connection to regional or national SHPE resources?
If you answered yes to any one of the questions above, or just feel like your school would benefit from the presence of an SHPE leader, please submit a chapter visit request form below. A SHPE Chapter expert will review your requests and get back to you shortly regarding your chapter’s needs.
Start a New Chapter
Don’t see the chapter you’re looking for? Start one now! Founding a chapter is a great way to build your leadership skills and improve your community.
We won’t say it’s easy, but we will say it’s worth it. Just follow these steps:
- Kick back and read through the new chapter kit. Review a checklist.
- Recruit nine other smart, forward-thinking people like yourself in your city, at your school, or in your organization.
- Register an affiliation to a college or university as a student org [student chapters only]
- Host an Info Session
- Elect Officers
- Develop Charter Documents: Bylaws, Strategy, Budgets, & Goals
- Submit New Chapter Application Form.
- Be approved and launch your first meeting!
- Enjoy the experience and benefits of SHPE Chapter life
- Schedule 1:1 Time using Chapter Support: Interested in starting a SHPE Chapter? Not sure where to start, questions about chapter setup, documents, or how to execute chapter operations? Book time, invite anyone else, and let’s talk about it.
FAQs
Host an info session! Share the good news of all the great resources members can get being a part of the SHPE Familia. Need help? Dive into the SHPE.org website, use some of our SHPE Marketing materials, & share your personal story of how you found SHPE & what got you interested.
NEW SHPE CHAPTER APPLICATION KIT – start here!
You can also book time with someone from the Membership Department specifically for CHAPTER SUPPORT
We have tons of previous chapter leaders & volunteer Regional Leaders that are eager help support you & your efforts of starting a new SHPE Chapter. Schedule time with someone from our team or email [email protected].
Bylaws are the governing rules by which a group (or in this case your chapter) operates, and the board of directors forms them. The purpose is to serve as a set of rules that allow the chapter to regulate itself. We encourage you to keep it general, broad, and expansive.
The SHPE Chapter Bylaws template outlines all the crucial considerations. Try to stick as much to the template as possible to avoid getting too specific.
Advisors are crucial to the legacy and continuation of the chapter. The role of the advisor can change and evolve over the course of a chapter’s life.
Advisors serve as a resource, a mentor, an advocate, & sponsor for the SHPE Chapter& its leaders. The chapter advisor is expected to serve as the official liaison to the school on behalf of the chapter. All official advisors must be employees of the school to adhere to school policy. Additional second or third advisors can be included to provide support.
The sole purpose of the Regional Leadership is to support at the local level, the operationalization of SHPE’s mission and purpose. Each Region’s leadership shall be made up of, at a minimum, four volunteer elected positions: Regional Vice President (RVP), Regional Student Representative (RSR), Regional Graduate Representative (RSR), and Regional Junior Representative (RJR).
The Regional Leadership Team provides proactive leadership coaching to chapters and members including SHPE leadership. Coaching, mentoring, & support are essential to maintaining and growing healthy chapters and members.
Get started!
You’ve decided what type of chapter. You’ve come up with a name. You’ve estimated an annual budget. It’s time to make it official and apply!
Tap into your entrepreneurial spirit and become the founding member of a SHPE student chapter at your school. You’ll be able to say it was your idea, and what a way to make your resume look good!