Elections
Become an elected SHPE Leader
Ask not what your SHPE familia can do for you – ask what you can do for your SHPE familia! Join the leadership team and make an impact at the highest levels of the organization. Your resume will thank you too!

Seize the Moment
If you want to be in a position that cultivates leadership skills, encourages ownership, and presents invaluable networking opportunities, now is your chance to take a leadership role at SHPE.
Every spring, SHPE holds a nationwide election to determine the new, volunteer members of the National Board of Directors (NBOD) and the regional leadership. The NBOD creates the vision and manages the organization’s strategy while the regional leadership supports staff with operations like guiding the chapters. Do not hesitate to become a candidate in this year’s elections!
Opportunities
The NBOD has three professional positions that are filled via election. Professional positions are staggered in the following pattern, to preserve continuity.
In odd-numbered years (2021, 2023, etc.), the following positions open for office:
- Two National Board Of Directors members
- Regional Vice Presidents for Regions 1, 3, 5, and 7
In even-numbered years (2020, 2022, etc), the following positions open for office:
- One National Board Of Directors member
- Regional Vice Presidents for Regions 2, 4, and 6
The above professional positions have two-year terms which begin on July 1st.
Every year, three student members are elected to the NBOD:
- Two National Board of Directors members – Undergraduate
- One National Board of Directors members – Graduate
Every year, fourteen student positions are open at a regional level:
- Seven Regional Graduate Representatives
- Seven Regional Student Representatives
The above student positions have one-year terms which begin on July 1st.
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, the following four positions. Any additional positions are at the discretion of the Regional Vice President.
The Regional Leadership Team provides proactive leadership coaching to chapters and membership including SHPE leadership. Coaching, mentoring, and support are essential to maintaining and growing healthy chapters and members.
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS (RVP)
- Represent the professional membership and lead the regional team for their respective region
- Communicate business to the region’s professional chapters and communicate business from them to the regional team and the member representative to the SHPE staff
REGIONAL GRADUATE REPRESENTATIVE (RGR)
- Represent the region’s graduate student membership
- Communicate business to the regional student chapters and communicate business from them to the student assembly and regional team
REGIONAL STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (RSR)
- Represent the region’s undergraduate student membership
- Communicate business to the regional student chapters and communicate business from them to the student assembly and regional team
REGIONAL JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE (RJR)
- Be a STEM professional or educator and will represent the junior membership within a region
- Communicate business to the junior chapter advisors
- Work with the Regional team and communicate with the Regional Vice President
Nominee Checklist
All forms and supporting documentation should be submitted electronically to [email protected]
Professional Nominees
- Hi-res professional photo (.jpg or .png)
- Biography (300-word count limit)
- Nomination petition with 5 professional member signatures
- NOTE: Signatures from members residing in the region are required for regional positions.
- Candidate Acknowledgement Agreement
Graduate Student Nominees
- Hi-res professional photo (.jpg or .png)
- Biography (300-word count limit)
- Nomination petition with 5 graduate student member signatures
- NOTE: Signatures from members residing in the region are required for regional positions.
- Transcripts (official or unofficial) with a 3.25 GPA minimum
- Candidate Acknowledgement Agreement
Undergraduate Student Nominees
- Hi-res professional photo (.jpg or .png)
- Biography (300-word count limit)
- Nomination petition with 5 undergraduate student member signatures
- NOTE: Signatures from members residing in the region are required for regional positions.
- Transcripts (official or unofficial) with a 3.0 GPA minimum
- Candidate Acknowledgement Agreement
Nominee Eligibility
Eligible candidates and members wanting to nominate and/or vote must have been members in good standing as of February 15. Student chapters wanting to vote needed at least 10 members in good standing as of February 15.
Whatever member category you are (ex. student, graduate, professional) on February 15 determines the positions you’re eligible for and the voting rights you have. If your status has changed since you joined, please be sure to make that update when you renew. Or you can email [email protected] to assign the correct member category.
Lifetime Members
If you’re a lifetime member and your membership category has changed (ex. student to graduate, graduate to professional, or student to professional), please email [email protected] before February 15 to update your profile and associated voting privileges.
Professional Nominees
- Must be a professional member in good standing by February 15
- For regional positions, must have resided in the region for the last 6 months.
Graduate Nominees
- Must be a graduate member in good standing by February 15, or, a graduating senior who will enroll in graduate school in the upcoming fall semester.
- Must have a 3.25/4.0 GPA; or 3.0/4.0 if a graduating senior
- Must have at least 1 more fall + spring semester before graduation
- For regional positions, must be enrolled at a university within the region
Undergraduate Nominees
- Must be an undergraduate member in good standing by February 15
- Must have a 3.0/4.0 GPA
- Must have at least 1 more fall + spring semester before graduation
- For regional positions, must be enrolled at a university within the region
Elections Timeline
February 15: The membership payment is due to be eligible to nominate, vote or run for office. The affidavit form is due for graduating seniors wanting to be considered a graduate or professional member for election purposes.
March 15: Nominations submittal deadline at 11:59 pm PDT
April 14: Ballots go out and voting begins at 12:01 am PDT
April 30: Voting concludes at 12:01 am PDT
May 16: Election Results Announced