SWE - Winter 2009 - (Page 72) SWE Scrapbook SWE Archives presents a regular series spotlighting women’s engineering history A Different Kind of Auxiliary “Ladies: I am married to my wife. This creates an interesting situation,” writes Rolfe Salin, M.D., in a 1968 letter to SWE. Dr. Salin, inquiring about the Men’s Auxiliary of the Society of Women Engineers (MASWE), notes that since his wife was a member of many auxiliary societies to the various organizations to which he belonged, he would now like to join the auxiliary of SWE. Founded in 1967 by Herbert “Bud” White, MASWE was an autonomous organization that allowed male relatives and friends to actively support women engineers and SWE, from fundraising to driving high school girls to engineering career nights. MASWE President George Hannan wrote in a 1973 letter to members that “When a man applies for MASWE membership, in a way he is saying, ‘Women engineers are welcome in all fields of engineering! I am going to help women engineering students complete their education and obtain their degree in the field of First MASWE President Floydd Martin and engineering of their founder Bud White watch MASWE mascot Mr. B choice!’” during the 1968 national convention in Los MASWE was disAngeles. MASWE members had to be sponsored solved in 1976 when by SWE members in good standing. Martin and SWE bylaws were White were sponsored by their wives, Alice amended, allowing men (Morgan) Martin, SWE president; and Winifred to become full voting White, SWE executive secretary. Mr. B was members of the sponsored by SWE member E’lise Harmon. Society. MASWE members’ influence continues, however, with a scholarship fund they created in 1971. — Troy Eller, SWE Archivist An advertisement for MASWE at the 1975 national convention in Pittsburgh. By 1975, MASWE had 43 members. Joe DiGirolamo, an electrical engineering senior at Purdue, was the first male member of SWE. MASWE was dissolved after the SWE bylaws were amended June 26, 1976 to replace the word “woman” with “person.” 72 SWE WINTER 2009
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