Get Involved - American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Your AAFCS membership is as powerful as you want it to be. Your involvement is what makes AAFCS a leader in the FCS field. As your professional association, we want to help you accomplish even more, both personally and professionally. Check out the opportunities and how you can get involved.

Leadership Opportunity	Description and Details	Sign Up and Learn More
Advocacy Work	Our members are the FCS profession’s best advocates! Learn how to reach your administrators and view other opportunities like the “Taking It to the Streets” Campaign. Please check the Advocacy Resources for additional information. You can also join the Community of Public Awareness and/or Community of Public Policy.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Affiliate Leadership	AAFCS state affiliates are the groundwork of the Association. Active leadership in your sate affiliate will ensure AAFCS remains a leader in the FCS field. Affiliates may have single year or multi-year terms, depending upon the office and affiliate. Many affiliates offer annual meetings/conference.	Visit the affiliate directory to contact your affiliate leader today and find out what the needs are in your state.
Annual Conference	Our 114th Annual Conference will be held June 22-26, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. This is a great time to connect and learn. The information for our annual conference can be found here.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Awards Juror	Judge AAFCS member award applications and award nominations to help choose those who will be honored for their accomplishments. Judging typically takes place in February.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Board of Directors	The AAFCS Board of Directors (BOD) acts as the legal representative of the Association, sets association policy, and provides leadership for and manages the affairs and funds of the Association. Please visit aafcs.org "About Us" to view the AAFCS Policies Manual for a summary of individual Board roles, terms and responsibilities.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Committee Service	Committees are vital to the Association; in cooperation with staff and the BOD, committees carry out specific functions as outlined in the AAFCS Policies Manual. Members participate in conference calls and meet at Annual Conference. Current Committees: Awards & Recognition Committee Ad hoc committees, formed as needed to complete a particular project Annual Conference Local Advisory Committee (ACLAC) Finance Committee Nominating Committee	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Credentialing	Becoming certified is the most credible credential a Family and Consumer Sciences professional can achieve. The AAFCS Certification Program provides exclusive benefits. Active members receive discounted rates on testing and certifications. Visit the Certifications page for more information.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Educational Session Reviewer	Review educational session proposals for the upcoming AAFCS Annual Conference. Members can apply to be a peer-reviewer in the fall. The blind peer-reviews usually take place for three weeks in November/December.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
ELEVATE FCS & FCS FRIDAYS	The ELEVATE FCS Toolkit includes logos, proclamations, zoom backgrounds, templates and printables, and social media resources. Take a look at the tools that are currently released and watch for releases of new items each month leading in 2023 as we continue the celebration and promotion of the FCS Profession with FCS FRIDAYS!	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Fall Leadership Workshop	Network with Family and Consumer Sciences professionals from across the nation while focusing on skills related to advocacy, leader development, diversity, equity and inclusion, membership and FCS related topics.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Journal Author/Reviewer	Write an article for the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences (JFCS) or the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal (FCSRJ) or apply to review articles. Visit the journal pages section of the website for more information.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Leadership Academy	The AAFCS Leadership Academy for new professionals who wish to design their own leadership plan in order to secure their preferred future as leaders in AAFCS. Activities of the Academy will continue throughout the year with conference/Zoom calls, additional interactive learnings, networking with fellow participants to complete two selected projects which benefit affiliates and AAFCS, and interacting with mentors. Visit the Leadership Academy page for more information.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Leadership Council	Made up of State Affiliate Leaders (2 per affiliate), Student Unit Officers (3), Past President Unit (3), Assembly of Higher Education (3), Board of Directors. There are quarterly leadership council meetings. Leadership council members have the important role of participating in governance and vote for BOD elections. The Council meets in conjunction with the Annual Conference and/or the Fall Leadership Workshop.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Member Communities	Help connect with members to share knowledge, research, and experience. Regular participation in an AAFCS online community helps connect you to students and professionals across the nation to generate discussions, update content, and attain resources. Visit Communities to learn more.	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Past Presidents Unit	Composed of individuals who have served as president of the Association. These leaders brought vision and foresight to the association throughout its history. These individuals provide advice to the Board of Directors, Leadership Council, and members. If you have been a Past President, please contact to get connected to this active group!	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Professional Development Modules	The AAFCS Virtual Professional Development (VPD) program offers members an opportunity to acquire professional development in FCS areas and earn PDUs (Professional Development Units). AAFCS offers Virtual Professional Development educational modules. Each educational module includes the following: 30-minute recorded video presentation Supplemental materials and instructional resources PDU Certificate	Interested in learning more, contact us!
Student Unit	The National Student Unit officer team promotes the professional development of student members through regular communications on association programs, planning Annual Conference activities and, planning the annual Student Unit service project. Officer terms are one year in length. Student members can participate in Student Unit CONNECT calls, which occur quarterly. Please visit the Student Webpage for more information.	Interested in learning more, Student Unit!