In 2011, Jane Biers and Debbie McWard, who are leading a statewide effort to recruit Missouri colleges and universities to join AAUW as College/University Partners, approached Betty Shouse and Jane Crigler to see if they would contact their alma maters and ask them to join. They did and William Jewell College, where Betty got her bachelor’s degree, and Central Methodist University, where Jane attended, agreed to join. This brings the number of colleges and universities in Missouri who are AAUW Partners to 18!

Perhaps there are other KC Branch members who would contact their alma mater to see if they would like to become a partner? There are many benefits. All undergraduate students at partner institutions are eligible for free e-student affiliate membership. As such, they can receive electronic copies of AAUW’s publications and research. They also have access to all AAUW’s student affiliate benefits including a vast array of leadership and professional development resources, and can apply for AAUW fellowships, grants, and awards. There are advantages for the institution as well. Among these, they can tap into AAUW’s powerful advocacy for education, and they receive recognition in AAUW’s online directory of partner members. Faculty, staff and students are also eligible for member discounts on many things from subscriptions to insurance.

For more information on AAUW-KC partnering with your alma mater, please call Jane Crigler at 816-523-7781.

AAUW-KC members and guests joined together on Dec. 1 to honor these community organizations for their work in advancing education and equity for women and girls:

DeLaSalle Education Center – $2,525 for a High School Seniors Seminar to help students understand and prepare for success beyond high school and into careers.  This grant is the first Leadership Memorial grant, funded through the membership contributions to recognize the AAUW leaders who have recently passed.

Front Porch Alliance – $2,000 for Dream Street Design, a T-shirt silk screening business that teaches students entrepreneurship and business skills while helping them earn money to help them develop skills to be successful, contributing members of their community.

Green Works in Kansas City – $2,525 for Girls Lead, a program for alumni of the Green Works school program that will train 10 girls to work with business entrepreneurs in the inner city to coordinate environmental and energy efficiency audits to help businesses understand opportunities for savings and implement best practices.

Niles Home for Children – $2,950 for a Financial Literacy Initiative, the grant will fund a cap stone weekend retreat for ten students, where the students will plan and run a mock retail area to apply all financial the skills they have learned, from budgeting for all expenses, including purchasing and preparing food for the group, to managing their mock funds and businesses.

United Inner City Services, St. Marks – $3,000 for TEAM (a Teacher Education and Mentoring Program).  This program will be used to train women from within the community to help them exceed basic requirements for teacher and teaching assistant services for children attending St. Mark’s pre- and elementary school.  Employment within the community served, as well as improved student teaching, are the target outcomes.

Make Plans to Join Us for KC’s Women’s Equality Week – August 23-29, 2015

During this third annual event, many local organizations will come together to present programs to promote women’s equality and celebrate women’s accomplishments. Watch for more details at www.aauwkc.org and in the August/September Taking Action.

The Nettie Irene Van Der Veer Wagy Fund was established in 1998 from a bequest of long-time AAUW-KC member Irene Wagy to further AAUW’s mission and purpose of promoting education, intellectual growth, individual worth and development opportunities for women and girls.

The annual grants made through the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation are funded through the Wagy Fund as well as member donations. At the holiday luncheon, grants totaling $10,500 were awarded for the following projects:

KCMO Public Library – Girls Night Out at the Library – $3,000

Opportunity for 10 to 15 participants aged 13–16 to meet monthly at the Irene Ruiz Branch of the library to strengthen their reading skills, explore literature, improve writing skills and develop a stronger sense of self and relationships with peers.

Sheffield Place – Developing Financial Literacy, Computer & Employment Skills – $1,500

The Take Charge! Program will provide up to 50 homeless mothers with the computer, employment and personal finance skills needed to become self-sufficient through 27 hours of classroom training over 18 weeks.

UMKC – Women in STEM First Year Interest Group – $2,700

In partnership with the UMKC Women’s Center, Residential Life, and the School of Computing and Engineering, this interest group will support college women by engaging and enhancing their interest in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathmatics) career, as well as encouraging younger female students to enter STEM careers.

Wildwood Outdoor Education Center, Inc. – WOW Women of Wildwood – $3,300

Opportunity for 10 girls from Kansas City’s urban core to attend a five-day residential camp where they will develop skills in Nature & Science, Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution, Teamwork & Cooperation and Respect for Self, Others & Nature.

For 2012, which will be our 15th year of giving grants from the Wagy Fund and our inaugural year of the Leadership Memorial Fund, we have a goal of giving $15,000 and receiving enough memorial donations to give our first leadership grant. Please consider a contribution: Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, c/o LaVon Colhour for AAUW Wagy Fund, 1055 Broadway, Suite 130, Kansas City, MO 64105 or donate online at: https://gkccfonlinedonations.org/donations/donation.asp. (Checks should be made payable to AAUW Wagy Fund/Amer01. Please note in the memo line if this is a Leadership Memorial contribution. See below for more information on the Leadership Memorial.)