Maryhelen Barnes  Fellowship Funded

The Maryhelen Barnes International Fellowship has been completely funded at $100,000. That is quite a sum of money and quite an accomplishment. Many thanks to all who contributed individually and worked to raise money for branch donations. Your hard work has paid off! The fellowship was set up and named for Maryhelen in 1986-87.

Anyone reading this article who has attended a convention or workshop during the last 23-plus years certainly remembers a very distinctive lady who wore a hat to match each of her lovely outfits. This wonderful AAUW member lobbied for our issues and worked very hard at the state and local levels. This woman of distinction was born in Van Wert County, Ohio on July 23, 1911, and earned her BS in 1934 from Ohio State University within the College of Commerce. Maryhelen continued her education while in Puerto Rico at the University of Rio Piedras from 1942-47.

In 1935 she joined AAUW in Ohio and has remained a loyal member while in Puerto Rico, Illinois, and New York. In 1954 Maryhelen joined the Anderson branch where she remains active today. She served as their president from 1981-83. In 1980-81 Indiana State Division named her Outstanding Woman. She was state legislative chair and attended legislative sessions from 1979-83 and again from 1984-87.

International Fellowships http://www.aauw.org/3000/fdnfelgra/internat.html are awarded for full-time study or research to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate study at accredited institutions are supported.

The Foundation will award 58 fellowships for the 2003-04 academic year. Six of these awards are available to members of International Federation of University Women affiliate organizations. These fellowship recipients may study in any country other than their own.

A panel of scholars appointed by the AAUW Educational Foundation Board of Directors reviews all applications. Final award selections are made by the Foundation board.

(Ed. Note: Kay Depel contributed much of the information for this article.)

Phrases  from  Phyllis

Phyllis Thompson, Indiana President

Well, it’s a new year once again. I truly do not know where the time goes. So much excitement and challenge is forthcoming for members of AAUW and their respective communities. Let me share my excitement with you.

First, I am so excited about the wonderful leadership conference in Washington, D.C. I came away from that conference challenged, charged and energized. The conference was entitled "Women in Charge." I know we are and I will spend the next year proving this to each of you and showing you how we can be in charge.

Second, Indiana has been chosen to receive a get-out-the-vote (GOTV) grant. This will be a voter education campaign educating women voters on the issues at stake. This will help increase our public policy activism, recruit and retain members, forge diverse partnership, help with visibility and will foster leadership development. Our target district in which we will be working is District 2.

Third, Indiana, as you know, has the privilege of hosting the 2004 Regional Conference in Indianapolis. We will all be working on this.

Fourth, I see the evidence of branches working profusely to maintain and increase membership. I would encourage each Indiana branch to continue along this avenue. I would also encourage all branches to reach out to those in the community who are different. Our branches should reflect our communities.

Fifth, I see efforts being made to collaborate and cooperate with organizations within our communities and to work more with branches in our areas on programming. Remember, there is strength in numbers.

Sixth, I see AAUW branches stepping up to the plate and sponsoring community programs. Terrific!!

Remember – WE ARE BUILDING! We are building more than a destination – we are building an experience, and an opportunity. As we continue our journey together, our productivity potential will be unlimited for all women and girls.

We need to continue to contact one another, connect with each other, converse with each other and commit to our mission. Finally we need to congratulate each other on our accomplishments.

Always keep in mind we are AAUW women and WE ARE IN CHARGE!!!
 
 

The 15th Annual Women & Work Conference, "Celebrating the Heritage & Culture of Women," will take place Friday, October 25, 2002, at the Indiana Convention Center, 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. The conference will began with registration from 7:30 a.m.- 8:30 a.m. and will end at 4:30 p.m.

Each year the Women & Work Conference brings together the energy and resources of federal, state, and local agencies, private organizations, businesses, educational institutions and labor organizations who work to improve women's status in the workforce.  The goal of the conference includes resource sharing, knowledge enrichment, and advocacy.  In addition, the conference serves to demonstrate and encourage unique ways to work together to ensure that Indiana women are offered the best possible education, job training, employment, and support services available.  The conference is open to anyone interested in women's employment issues, especially women wanting to improve their overall well-being.

The Honorable Myra Shelby has been invited as the keynote speaker, and workshops will be held on Women as Entrepreneurs, Financial Planning, Women & Safety and much more.

Conference participants will also have an opportunity to visit exhibits, to network with one another, and to recognize individual and organizational achievements that advance women in the workplace.

The registration fee is $55 per person. For more information and registration, contact Kimberly Tacker, Indiana Commission for Women at 317-233-6303 or www.in.gov/icw
 
 

At the Town Hall meeting at the Great Lakes Regional Conference, a branch member from Michigan asked why the question about "race and disability, etc." was asked on the 21^st Century Recognition Application.

Erica Santiago, Associate Director of Program Development, wrote in response:

Area Branch Geographic Locations

Because of proximity, these branches are urged to work closely together perhaps holding some joint meeting(s).

• Anderson and Muncie
• Indianapolis, Noblesville, and Richmond
• Fort Wayne and Warsaw
• Calumet Area, Gary/Merrillville, South Lake County, and Valparaiso
• Elkhart, Goshen, LaPorte, Michigan City, and South Bend
• Evansville, Madison/Hanover, and Terre Haute

On November 4, 2002, a mock trial of Susan B. Anthony will be held. She is charged with – Voting! The event will be held in the Indiana Supreme Court courtroom as part of the Spirit and Place festival and is sponsored by the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Commission for Women.

All ages are welcome! The re-enactment will include audience interaction along with a multi-generational discussion following the re-enactment. Plans are being made to web cast the mock trial live in order to reach women of all ages and walks of life across the state. This can be broadcast live or at a later date in classrooms, offices, churches, clubhouses, meetings, etc.

For more information, contact Annette Craycraft, executive director, Indiana Commission for Women, at 317-232-6720 or acraycraft@dwd.state.in.us.
 

When writing to legislators, identify bills by name rather than by bill number. Whenever possible, include a personal story and/or the reasons you are for or against the bill.

(Ed Note: The above information was distributed at the Indiana State Convention by Annette Craycraft, Executive Director of the Indiana Commission for Women.)
 
 
 

Saturday, September 28 the Indiana Women’s History Association (IWHA) will commemorate the 30^th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark law calling for gender equality in educational funding, at a special event at the National Collegiate Athletic Association headquarters in Indianapolis.

Title IX of the Education Act Amendment of 1972 simply states:

No person should be excluded, on the basis of their sex, from participating in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.

Patricia G. Barnes, president of IWHA, credits Title IX with helping to revolutionize female athletics by requiring colleges and universities to offer participation opportunities for men and women that are "substantially proportionate" to their respective undergraduate enrollments. "It is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most important and far-reaching federal laws affecting women passed in modern history," says Barnes.

The IWHA will host a morning program featuring keynote speaker Donna Lopiano, the executive director of the Women’s Sports Foundation, a national organization that works to ensure equal access to participation and leadership opportunities for girls and women in sports and fitness. There will also be a panel discussion in which top state women sports leaders, players, and historians will discuss the history and impact of Title IX on Indiana.

In the afternoon, the IWHA will partner with the NCAA to showcase women sports pioneers in Indiana at the NCAA’s Hall of Champions. Women who achieved prominence in sports prior to Title IX and female athletes with compelling stories related to Title IX will be stationed around the Hall of Champions to greet the general public.

Attendees will also be able to view GameFace, a national photography exhibit on female athletics that is being showcased at the NCAA Hall of Champions.

Finally, attendees will be invited to view the current state of women’s sports. They will receive passes to attend championship softball games being held at nearby Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

The IWHA morning program will commence at 9:30 a.m. ending at noon followed by a box lunch. The IWHA and NCAA’s joint program begins at 1 p.m. ending at 5 p.m. AAUW and the Indiana Commission for Women are assisting as co-sponsors of the day’s events.
 
 
 

We were there! Twelve of us boarded a bus in Evansville at 7:00 a.m. to travel to French Lick to attend the Indiana AAUW State Convention. I have been an AAUW member since 1952 and this was the first time I was able to attend a convention.

We arrived at the French Lick Hotel to attend the business meeting in progress. After the first session of the business meeting, our president, Karen Tannenbaum, sang the National Anthem in her beautiful soprano voice. After the business meeting, we watched the Epilogue players present "St. Susan." This was a depiction of the life of Susan B. Anthony. It was extremely well done.

After a delicious lunch and two keynote speakers, we were delighted to attend strands A, B, and C. Kudos go to Monna Maley, our Educational Foundation chair and president-elect, for arranging presenters from Evansville in all three strands.

In strand A, "Women’s Health Issues," Cindy Goodwin and Mary Ann Wehmer, instructors of nursing at University of Southern Indiana, presented a section on the popular topic of "Alternative Medicine." This facet of medicine fascinates all of us.

In strand B, "Women’s Legal/Financial Issues," Teri and Tricia Hollander of Hilliard Lyons Investments presented "Women Drivers – a Roadway to Financial Success." They were a big hit!

In strand C we had two presents. Dr. Carla Aldrich, chair of International Fellowship Awards, spoke about the many interesting applicants for these awards and how they are selected. Karen Tannenbaum, our present and chairman of the Expanding your Horizons Career Conference in mathematics science and technology for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade girls, provided an overview of this program. This conference is the only one of its kind in Indiana. Both programs were well received.

Before our delicious buffet dinner, Evansville member Rev. Ruby Schroeder gave the invocation and Karen Tannenbaum sang "God Bless America." After our delicious mean, it was time for us to leave our new friends and return to Evansville.

As we were departing from the bus after a busy day, one member said, "It was a great convention." Yes, it was!
 

Champions of women’s issues who have made significant contributions to Indiana in the fields of education, government, business, law, and health will be honored on November 18. The First Annual Jenckes Awards Program be conducted in the State House Rotunda (200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is sponsored by the Gender Fairness Coalition (GFC) along with the Indiana Commission for Women (ICW). There is no charge to attend.

The award is named after Virginia Ellis Jenckes, the first woman to be elected by Indiana voters to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. She served three consecutive terms there from 1933-39. In 1937 she was the U.S. delegate to the Interparliamentary Union in Paris, France. After leaving Congress, Jenckes remained in Washington D.C. for many years working for the American Red Cross.
 

Meet Pat Robinson Director of Membership

Patricia Robinson joined your Indiana Board of Directors when she was elected director of membership at the 2002 State Convention in French Lick. She is one of our newer members having joined AAUW and the Anderson branch in 1999. Treva May enlisted Pat’s expertise in computerizing the state’s membership list; after that, Treva got Pat to join!

Since joining AAUW, she plunged right in and used those computer skills to create an expanded Anderson branch directory. She gave a presentation on this at the 2001 Leadership Workshop so all branches could benefit from her ideas. In 2000, she was elected to serve as Anderson’s vice-president of membership and re-elected to that position in 2002.

Pat is a Ball State University graduate and has her own accounting and computer consulting practice. She computerizes company financial records and prepares income taxes and payroll for small businesses.
 
 

Change = remove and replace (or reinventing the wheel)

Growth = growing and developing

Progress = to move forward and advance

Presentation = Listening

Some of the things we do today are from the 19^th century. We need to incorporate the 20^th century. Being a professional organization, we need to present a very professional look. Presentation is a big part of trying to get someone interested. Since we are in the age of computers, we can use different fonts, change the size, and use a different color of paper. We have to use the terms that are more modern. Instead of a member tea, use prospective member meeting. The concept is the same, but the term might not relate to younger members. A lady joined the Anderson branch – now she is interested in starting a new interest group and being its leader.

Members have been asking how to make their branches grow. There is no right or wrong way. Moreover, what works for one branch may not work for another. There are many things to take into consideration.

• Location of branch
• Marital status and age of members
• Do these members have children at home?
• Profession (women who do not want to be asked professional questions)
• Interest groups
• Local branch projects
• Attitude of members
• What the members are interested in

One thing we do not want to forget is the value of our long-time members. They have wisdom, experience, and they invented the wheel. Add to that new members and their ideas. That should equal branch growth.

We need to share ideas and information. Let’s quit re-inventing the wheel. Send me your information (prospective members, local projects, and interest groups) to share with the other branches.

Every member is valuable. There should be something in every branch to interest everyone – whether it is being on a calling committee, publicity, yearbook, or webmaster.

By the way, I know from personal experience that the vice president of membership can use all the help she can get. Remember, there is no room for complainers, unless you are willing to be part of the solution.

Those working on my committee are Beth LeRoy (LaPorte), Maryhelen Barnes (Anderson), and Treva May (Anderson and past Indiana director of membership).

I prefer to be contacted by email at pjrobinson56@att.net.

The Great Lakes Region Exemplifies the Cycle of Action

Delinda Chapman Great Lakes Regional Director

Branches are the backbone of AAUW. In return, the state organization and the Association support branch work. This reciprocating paradigm has long been the AAUW model for action. The Association, representing its members, designs policy, strategies and research, and prepares materials for use by the branches. Branches employ the materials and use the strategies to further our collective mission. This is the cycle of action in AAUW.

What is happening in the Great Lakes Region that demonstrates this cycle? Here are a few examples:

In Ohio, Dr. Claudia Greenwood, an active member of the Ashtabula Branch, has written and published a book titled, Go For It, Women Returning to College, a Comprehensive Handbook. Building on AAUW’s "Women in Transition" program, Claudia has developed "a field guide" for women to help explore the challenges and possibilities that open before them as they consider returning to school. Claudia’s book is an example of moving the mission into the community. Claudia is leading this effort through her creativity/imagination, commitment and AAUW support.

Phyllis Thompson, President of AAUW Indiana, and Mitzi Witchger, AAUW Indiana Public Policy Chair, are leading Indiana in a Get-Out-The-Vote campaign. Indiana is one of four states awarded a GOTV grant. Several branches within the 2^nd Congressional district will be working together to educate the voters on the records of the candidates. As part of the AAUW public policy program, branches will carry out the public policy platform designed by the AAUW membership and developed at the Association level.

Illinois Western Springs Branch member, Marjorie Zamora, has led a coalition to promote the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. The idea has spread through the Great Lakes resulting in state boards voting to support the concept and encourage the Association to bring the idea to the floor of the AAUW 2003 Convention in the form of a resolution, which may then become part of the AAUW Public Policy platform. Marjorie Zamora is leading this charge, demonstrating her passion and commitment.

In Michigan, we recognize the new president at the University of Michigan, Dr. Mary Sue Coleman. Dr. Coleman has shattered the glass ceiling in the Big Ten. Though in June, when the Supreme Court decided in a 5 to 4 vote that the school voucher program in Cleveland, Ohio did not violate the church versus state clause in the U.S. Constitution, Dr. Coleman’s words quoted in Michigan Today (Summer 2002) are a guide for as we as AAUW members lead our communities in dealing with this change. Dr. Coleman’s thoughts on public education are heartening, "Public education is foundational to democracy, precisely because it is public and accessible. Public institutions are the expression of our collective will, what we hold in common for the greater good...The citizenry trusts that education will help create a better society. Public education is obligated to honor that trust through its teaching…And the citizenry is, in turn, responsible for providing the resources necessary to accomplish those missions with which it has charged public education." Mary Sue Coleman is a courageous leader and a testimony that Michigan has created a culture of equity, which recognizes her ability to lead a Big Ten university.

And, what is Wisconsin up to? Judy Jaggard, a member of the Beloit Branch, is the AAUW Great Lakes Region’s representative to Great Lakes United, the organization devoted to keeping the Great Lakes clean and the wetlands thriving. Our connection with Great Lakes United supports our commitment to the environment, a long-time objective of AAUW and a major part of our mission to promote positive societal change. Judy provides leadership in this area.

The above examples are just a few of the activities and programs in which we are involved in the Great Lakes Region. The women featured here are demonstrated leaders, passionate about their projects. What we all need to remember is that we are all leaders in AAUW. If you are in AAUW, you are leading. You are a leader in your community in a movement for equity for all women and girls. AAUW’s programming furthers our AAUW mission of equity for all women and girls, life-long education and positive societal change. Feel the power of this message. You are a leader.

If you have other examples of this cycle of action, send them to me. AAUW in Action will be featuring examples of members, programs and events that have made a significant difference in the lives of woman and girls. Feel the power!
 

The following goals were set by the 2002-03 board of directors at their summer board meeting:

1. Strengthen connection and communication among program, membership, and public policy officers
2. Develop program how-to’s
3. Collaborate with other groups
4. Make use of EF recipients
5. Have a legal fundraiser for Indiana
6. Get all 19 branch membership vice presidents online

Whereas, the Preamble to the Constitution sets forth the cause of peace stating, "We the People of the United States, in Order to Form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense,

Whereas, the Department of Defense is now first among all other federal departments and its annual expenditures consume half of the federal discretionary dollar,

Whereas, over 100 million lives were lost in Twentieth Century wars,

Whereas, the United States has ten top service academies, war colleges and a graduate National Defense University,

Whereas, the United States Institute of Peace founded in 1986 as a limited substitute for a Peace Academy, is funded at less than a thousandth of one percent of the FY 2001 military budget of $345 billion,

Whereas, there are 3100 colleges and universities in the United States, fewer than 100 have peace studies, many of which are under-funded,

Whereas, for 200 years our brightest young men have been trained in the arts and sciences of war, but federal peace training for men and women does not exist,

Whereas, a Peace Academy within the Department of Peace modeled after our service academies may train equal numbers of men and women as graduates who may serve with gender balance in Congress and in other powerhouses of America, and

Whereas, American youth have few positive nonviolent and gender image models,

Whereas, the Department of Peace will supply trained experts to anticipate and resolve disputes nonviolently, reduce terrorism, and help eliminate wars, and

Whereas, the Department of Peace, working with media specialists, will promote peace as courageous and women as leaders in American society.

Therefore, lit it be resolved that the American Association of University Women will encourage the establishment of a US Department of Peace embodied in HR 2459 by lobbying Congress, by encouraging branches to initiate discussion of the issue in their communities and by encouraging members to contact lawmakers on behalf of the US Department of Peace.

Submitted by:

Marjorie Dixon Zamora, Professor Emeritus and Organizer of the Midwest Coalition for a Department of Peace, phone: 708-246-7363; email marjoriez@aol.com

Alice H. Smith, President, American Association of University Women-IL, Inc., phone: 630-543-0875 (h) and 630-628-3357 (w); email: ahs339@yahoo.com

Rationale:

A positive society avoids wars, trains for peace and educates for nonviolent homes, schools, workplaces and communities and includes women’s and girls’ concerns addressed in U.N. programs on human rights.

The free black astronomer/mathematician Benjamin Banneker in his 1792 almanac described a Department of Peace to "balance" the new Department of War. Intrigued, President George Washington proposed a "proper peace Establishment" to Congress in 1793. After 200 years and some 145 bills, we still have no federal institution with peace as the organizing principle. On July 11, 2001 – two months before 9/11 – Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced HR 2459 into Congress "to establish a Department of Peace." HR 2459 is a kind of Declaration of Nonviolence, fourth among the Rights of Man, the Bill of Rights and the UN Declaration of Human Rights. It proposes the first Cabinet level department of leaders trained in positive methods of resolving conflict to serve every level of American society.

A Department of Peace could meet growing local, national and global demand for experts in nonviolence and the scientific study of peace – such as effective resolutions to family violence, plus focus research on worldwide crises and nonviolent strategies to peacemaking, peace building, peacekeeping.

A future Peace Academy within the DOP, comparable to our top military academies, would educate our brightest young men and women. Women graduates would be positive role models for girls and women in the powerhouses of America and the world. With the support of the American Association of University Women, the Department of Peace can help make America a less violent culture and safer society for our families.

(Ed note: This resolution was passed by the delegates attending the 2002 Indiana State Convention at it’s annual meeting on April 20, 2002 to be considered at the 2003 AAUW Association Convention in June 2003.)
 

New York State AAUW has revised its 1986 peace initiatives series of workshops over the past two years. These workshops were presented at the 2001 and 2002 New York State Conventions. The first half was also presented at the IFUW Conference.

The United Nations has designated 2000-10 as the Decade of Peace. We have a long way to go to reach peace for the world. Words of the song say, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me…" Peace is not a job for someone else, but we need to do it together. Explore the avenues for reaching peace. Consider providing these workshops for your community, religious group, or school group.

Action for Peace: five workshops you can use with your branch or community groups. Workshop attendees have been very enthusiastic. Following is a summary of each:

• Aspects of Peace explores the various meanings of the word "peace" on personal, interpersonal, national, and global levels. Participants share their concepts of peace and discuss fear, aggression, stereotyping, and prejudice as obstacles to peaceful coexistence.
• Women and Others as Peacemakers identifies the peacemakers of the world who attempt to bring about a lasting peace through social justice. It studies their skills, values, methods, and goals in order to establish role models for making a personal commitment to peacemaking.
• Networking for Peace introduces the concept of power networking among community organizations. Specific methods to help achieve positive societal change and world peace are explored in small groups.
• Nonviolent Conflict Resolution recognizes that conflict is an inevitable aspect of living. Five common ways of dealing with conflict, each with advantages and consequences, are explored through case studies on family, community, and global levels.
• Reconciliation deals with the barriers to normalizing relationships and how to remove those barriers.

Now branches can plan an exciting Women’s History Month program! The Newport County-East Bay (RI) branch offers a 30-minute skit, "Reviving the Dead Ladies," which takes your audience back to the first Women’s Rights Convention held in Worcester, MA in 1850. Speaking the words of some of the courageous women who dared to flaunt society with their demands for equal rights with men, this is an ideal program for branches to present as a Women’s History Month event. Happily, there is no memorization required and only one rehearsal needed.

Material includes a sample press release, program, and production notes. Cost is $10 for an online copy, or $15 to have one mailed. All funds go to the Educational Foundation. To order, or for further information, email: judy.terry@mindspring.com.
 
 
 

Take a couple of hours for yourself the first Friday of each month – attend the Women’s Leadership Exchange series of conferences. Issues of interest to women are presented each month. All conferences are held from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at the University of Indianapolis, Schwitzer Center 012. The events are free and open to the public. AAUW is a co-sponsor.

Here’s the schedule:
 

September 6	Carol Johnson, Five Women Who Saved a Nation
October 4	Communication Skills—Speaking Out and Being Heard as a Leader
November 1	Dealing with Harassment as a Leader
December 6	Wrap-it-Up (Review and something special)
January 3	What to do as a Leader When You’re in an Ethical Situation
February 7	Leading Successfully: How to find Solutions through Conflict Resolution
March 7	Diversity a Reality in Leadership
April 4	Nurturing the Spirit of a Leader
May 2	Leaders Building Trust and Unity

Get a fresh perspective on women’s issues and learn how to better prepare yourself for the challenges and opportunities that face women in today’s society.

Driving directions: http://sal.uindy.edu/driving.html; a campus map is available at http://sal.uindy.edu/map.html. Visitor parking areas are identified on the map. Register http://sal.uindy.edu/registration.html, or call Kaye Nave at 317-788-3393 or toll-free at 800-232-8634, etc. 3393.
 
 

Newsletters

Indiana State Officers

Top of Page

AAUW-IN home