Welcome to the Charlotte-Metrolina Section of the Society of Women Engineers. Here you may read more information about our Section and the process our predecessors underwent to receive our original charter in 1982. The information gathered here was compiled from the files received from SWE Archives.

We are still investigating the history of our Section during this timeframe. If you have any information you can share with us, please contact our webmaster.

You may also read more about our reinstatement process.

Original Charter - May 1982

On January 16, 1982, Billie Campbell wrote to Executive Secretary Mary Lou Barnes requesting a copy of the National Bylaws to use in preparing Section Bylaws. She also requested copies of "Why You Should Join SWE" and "Facts About the Society of Women Engineers." Billie already had a copy of "Steps to Chartering a SWE Section" and the Petition for Charter form. Betty Tipiere, SWE Administrative Staff, replied with the materials requested. Because the Charlotte-Metrolina Section was being formed from the North Carolina Section, the President of the NC Section had to send a letter releasing the proposed zip codes 280-282 and 286-288. Sarah Sharpe, NC Section President, sent the zip codes release letter to Billie on February 15. On February 18, twelve ladies (listed below) signed the Society of Women Engineers Petition for Section Charter. The charter package was received at SWE HQ on February 22, 1982.

Between February 22 and March 8, 1982, the membership status of the charter signees was verified. Ten members, including the proposed officers, were verified in good standing. On March 12, Robin Steel, Bylaws Committee Chair, notified Susan Best, Membership Committee Chair, that the Charlotte-Metrolina Section Bylaws had been approved by the Bylaws Committee. The North Carolina Section, from which the Charlotte-Metrolina Section formed, had to verify they had at least 10 members remaining in the Section. On March 25, Sarah Sharpe provided Billie a list of the ten most active members of the NC Section. On March 29, Billie forwarded her list of NC Section members to Susan, along with an assessment of membership potential and a list of completed and proposed Section activities. After receiving all the requirements on the Proposed Section Checklist, Membership Committee Chair Susan Best recommended approval of the forming of the Charlotte-Metrolina Section on April 1, 1982.

On April 13, 1982, Kathleen Harer, EC Director for Member Affairs, sent ballots 82-16 - To approve the bylaws for the proposed Charlotte-Metrolina Section and 82-17 - To approve the petition for Section Charter of the Charlotte-Metrolina Section with zip codes 280-282 and 286-288 to the Society Executive Council. On May 2, 1982, the Executive Council approved the petition for charter and the Section was assigned Section Code 308. The addition of zip code 289 was discussed and approved at FY83 EC#2 in October 1982. Due to an unfortunate omission, the Section did not receive a traditional acknowledgement and welcome letter. They were notified of the approval in a letter by Sally Osborn, FY83 Secretary, on September 29, 1982 and then welcomed by National President Evelyn Murray-Lenthall in a letter dated October 13, 1982.

The Section survived until FY88. A letter was written by the FY88 Section President, Elizabeth Thomas, that the Section was disbanding due to a lack of interest. The Society Executive Council officially deactivated the Charlotte-Metrolina Section on May 13, 1989.

Petition to Charter a Section - February 18, 1982

The following ladies all signed the petition to charter the Charlotte-Metrolina Section with boundaries NC ZIP280-282 and 286-288 on February 18, 1982:

Billie Campbell, P.E., President
Diana Longmuir, Vice President
Sharon Parker, Section Representative
Joan Slep, Secretary
Elizabeth Lawson, Treasurer
Barbara E. Ballas
Robin Enscore
Kathy Hester
Barbara Orr
Virginia Stover Owen
Benita Wall
Sema Ozalp Yildirim

ZIP289 was added at a subsequent Society Executive Council Meeting.