Association for Women in Communications. Chicago Chapter.

Women in Communications, Inc. (WIC) is the Chicago chapter of Theta Sigma Phi, a national professional club for women in journalism founded in 1909. The Chicago alumnae chapter of charter members was established in 1919. Originally, membership was limited to those who had joined during college but membership widened within a few years to include those working in journalism. Consequently, the Chicago chapter charter was not granted until 1941 when the Theta Sigma Phi admitted non-collegiate chapters. The group established a National Journalistic Register to serve as an employment bureau for women journalists. Beginning in 1921, a series of houses were rented to provide member housing and a meeting place for the group. In 1922, the group initiated college weekends in which Midwest seniors were invited to attend workshops with working women journalists. In 1937, a Ladies of the Press Breakfast was organized as a fund-raiser. In later years, annual luncheons and dinners were held at which prominent journalists spoke. Beginning in 1962, the Jacob Scher Award for investigative reporting was awarded at the annual dinner. In the early 1970s, the national organization incorporated as a non-profit, changed its name to Women in Communications, Inc., and began to admit men as members. The national organization supervises local organizations and sets policy. It also sponsors an annual Headliner Awards for nationally prominent women in journalism.