The Reentry Woman of the Year Award was initiated in 1987 under the leadership of Marjorie Rees (AAUW-KC president, 1985-87) and the Kansas City InterBranch Council (IBC) who wanted to support the many women who return to college after an absence of five or more years. Many of these women have children and family obligations and are in need of financial assistance. Kansas City area branches including Independence, Kansas City, Kansas City Northland, Northern Clay, and Raytown provide area colleges with information and applications and work together to select potential recipients. The winners selected are those that best exemplify the effort, perseverance and courage of the mature woman who wants to return to the classroom in pursuit of personal and vocational goals.
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2019 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
The 2019 IBC Reentry Award recipients each received $550 toward their education. They are (pictured top, l-r): Karol Pineda, Respiratory Therapy, Kansas City Kansas Community College; Megan Lashbrook, Art Education, UMKC; Victoria Norton, Science, MCC-Longview; Laura Theel, History, UMKC; Kelly Mackenzie, Occupational Therapy, MCC-Penn Valley; and the Parkville Branch Reentry Scholarship Fund winner Amy Sanborn, Accounting. Park University. Not pictured: Leslie Carter, Nursing, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Antonia McMonigle, Chemistry Pre-Med, UMKC.
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2018 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
The 2018 IBC Reentry Award recipients are (l-r): Charity Bishop, Social Work, MCC-Maple Woods; Shana Shanteau, Urban Planning & Design, UMKC; Crystal Swope, Social Work, Park University; Sarah Palmer, Nursing, MCC-Penn Valley; and ShaVaughn Holloway, English, Park University. (Recipients not pictured are Cherie Servello, Sociology & Psychology, Park University; Samantha Kaiser, Urban Planning & Design, UMKC; and Jen Bess, Sociology, MCC-Penn Valley.)
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2017 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
The 2017 IBC Reentry Award recipients are (l-r) Stephanie Leonard, Nursing and Marcia Princivalli, Mortuary Science, Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC); Amy Hill-Koleiny, Teaching, MCC-Penn Valley; Nancy Russell, Occupational Therapy, MCC-Longview; Toni Thornton Award recipients: Jiatong Lynch, Accounting, Park University and Debbie Plake, Paralegal Studies, KCKCC.
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2015 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
2015 Reentry Award recipients: Cyrillian Ayoola, Nursing, Penn Valley; Natalia Zanders, Sociology-Family Studies, UMKC; Jennifer Christine Clark, Social Work, Park University; and Susanne Johnson, Social Psychology, Park University; Toni Thornton Not pictured: Aubrey Kent, Radiology, Blue River; Johnique A. Jordan, Business Management, Park University/Longview Community College
2014 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
On April 19, 2014, the IBC presented Reentry Woman of the Year scholarships to six women who best exemplify the courage, effort and perseverance to return to the classroom after an absence of five or more years. Pictured (l-r): Ashley Parker, MCCC Longview; Donna Young, UMKC; Angela Blackmon, MCCC Penn Valley; Rachelle (Shelly) Hardin, MCCC Blue River; Sunday Hatten, MCCC Penn Valley; and Rebecca Lassiter, MCCC Longview.
2013 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
The Reentry Woman of the Year annual scholarship event, sponsored by the IBC, took place on April 20, 2013 at Unity Village. Scholarships were awarded to six women returning to the classroom after an absence of five or more years in pursuit of personal and vocational goals. Congratulations to (pictured l-r): Darla Edmiston, MCC-Longview; Crystal Wolfe, UMKC; Marie Jean-Baptiste, Park University; Joy Coleman, MCC-Maplewoods; and Kellie Carrender, MCC-Blue River. (Cynthia Hart, Park University who was unable to attend.)
2012 Reentry Woman of the Year Awards Recap
The Reentry Award presented in honor of Majorie Rees (new in 2012) went to Rachel Potter. Congratulations to these significant seven!