The Association for Professional and Academic Women was created in 1979 "to effect and ensure that professional women at URI are accorded just and equal recognition, treatment, and advancement."

Today, APAW:

• works to ensure equal recognition and advancement of professional and academic women
• gives support to women individually and collectively
• sponsors informal meetings on topics of interest to women
• provides opportunities for URI women to meet and work together across departmental, college and divisional lines
• annually hosts networking receptions in the fall and winter to welcome new faculty and staff to the University of Rhode Island, and
• annually recognizes a URI woman for her efforts to advance this mission and celebrates this recognition at the “Woman of the Year” Awards Ceremony