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State College Branch Advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
Branching Out
www.aauwstatecollege.org December 2012
Volume 46 Number 4
Presidents’ Log
In this issue of Branching Out, we have focused on the dedicated staff at the Used Book Workshop. After Suzanne Kerlin and Sherry Crassweller stepped away from co-chairing the sale, they continued sharing their expertise as new leaders emerged. Our new leaders report that book donations, sorting and pricing mirror last year.
This year's membership vice presidents, Carol Hodes and Michelle Decker, also new to their responsibilities, updated branch membership records with the national office and coordinated a fall membership campaign. Despite their, and others', efforts, branch membership continues to drop, a serious concern in the face of the Used Book Sale and other people-intensive branch activities. If you've not invited a friend or colleague to join, please do so.
In response to the AAUW-organized It's My Vote: I Will Be Heard campaign, several branch members worked diligently to get out the vote. Members of the two financially-focused task forces are meeting to develop their recommendations. Scholarship and Funds Distribution committees have reviewed their forms and processes.
Finally, we encourage you to identify those whom you'd like to nominate in January for the
Tuesday Team: Left to right, Nancy Weinreb starts pricing the next box of books; Bridget Stemberger leads the recycling effort; Sue Werner pitches in at the sorting table; Betty Traverse could use a hand with the heavy lifting.
Thank You, Used Book Workshop Volunteers Working together, you are a behind-the-scenes engine that helps sustain us.
Monday Team: Left to right, Donna Trapp performs this job with her eyes closed; Sue Hiester handles a mystery; Stacie Chandler entertains with a song; Connie Wheeler finishes packing one more box of paperbacks.
Wednesday Team: Left to right, Nancy Eberly hauls books, not tomatoes; Jeanne Weber makes her mark pricing; Alex Broyles sneaks in a little reading; Peggy Schlegel takes a break at the recycling bin. (see LOG, page 5)
Branching Out Page 2
Used Book Workshop Leaders Look to New Year
It would be nice, but is not possible, to picture every one of the fifty branch volunteers who work weekly at the Used Book Workshop. Each contributes uniquely to the volunteer team; their ongoing commitment to keeping the annual used book sale going is inspiring.
Book donations are coming in strong—as of this writing we are thirteen boxes (roughly 500 volumes) ahead of donations at this time last year. Leaders from each day’s team regularly this fall, and determined these priorities for the Used Book Workshop: 1) ensure safety around the workshop, especially in the area of tall stacks of filled boxes; 2) identify more sorters and especially, lifters, and 3) maximize good communication between each day’s team.
The Monday-night team, led by Donna Trapp and Connie Wheeler, meets 6:30—8:30 p.m., and has a resourceful team of sorters who had almost become accustomed to emptying bins in complete darkness. They relied on their car headlights to light the book bins for unloading until an outdoor light could be repaired! Tuesday’s team, led by Nancy Weinreb and Betty Traverse, and Wednesday’s team, led by Nancy Eberly and Peggy Schlegel, could use more sorters and lifters. They start the day at 9:00 a.m., take a lunch break, and many resume work for an hour or two afterwards.
If you haven’t volunteered at the Used Book Workshop before, stop in and check it out. If you need to call the Used Book Workshop, the phone number is 235-6884.
STEM Committee Outlines 2013 Plans
The Branch STEM committee, co-chaired by Kristin Dreyer and Mary Dupuis, met recently to discuss its goals for the current program year. One important activity is working with Bald Eagle Area teachers
to begin a program there in Spring 2013. CSI in State College and GaLS in Bellefonte will continue. For the first time, teachers from all three schools met to discuss how they conduct their programs and to share ideas. This meeting was exciting and holds promise of greater things to come.
The February 2013 CSI program is now enrolling students. It will be held Thursdays beginning January 24, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., for five weeks at Park Forest Middle School. We are looking for volunteers to work with the teachers and the girls. The Program Showcase will be held February 21, 6:00 p.m., immediately following the last session. To volunteer, contact Mary Dupuis, [email protected], 234-1148.
Other STEM-related programs are being considered, including working with groups on campus and in the community, such as the Girl Scouts and Science U. Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) conducts workshops for local Girl Scouts on various badge requirements. GWIS was founded in 1936 and is the oldest women’s organization at Penn State. Science U conducts week-long workshops for girls in various science areas each summer.
We will bring recommendations to the branch board in the near future, and welcome branch members to join the committee and help us decide which of these programs we should consider. Kristin Dreyer and Mary Dupuis
STEM Co-chairs
HOLIDAY VOLUNTEER HOURS
With the approaching winter holidays, the last day that the Used Book Workshop will be open is Wednesday, December 19th. It will re-open for volunteers on Wednesday, January 2nd.
MOVING BOXES AROUND IS A GREAT WORK-OUT!
Nancy Eberly has found that volunteering at the Used Book Workshop is a great way to stay in shape. More box movers are needed.
Volume 46, Number 4 Page 3
Ideas for 100th Branch Anniversary Gifts Sought
Should AAUW State College Branch give a substantial gift to the Centre County community in recognition of our 100th anniversary, which will take place in 2016? The Philanthropic Priorities Task Force has been charged with the addressing this question and identifying possibilities.
To guide us in our report to the Board, Task Force members would love to receive ideas of where our organization would have the most impact with such a gift. We are now soliciting suggestions and comments from branch members. We are paying particular
attention to the goals from AAUW’s 2010 strategic plan, adopted in 2010, which emphasizes educational and economic equity for all women and girls; motivation of leaders in our schools, workplaces, and communities; and support of programs contributing to lifetime success for women and girls.
Ideas could include a large donation to one or more established community organizations to continue their work, or new support for creative initiatives that would aid in education or other benefits focused on women. We know that many of you are active in other community organizations and could give us some advice on worthy causes to consider. Please forward any ideas to the task force chair, Linda Friend, [email protected] by the end of December. Thanks for your ideas!
Association Funds Report
I hope you have been reading the AAUW Outlook and visiting AAUW.org online to see what is happening with the Foundation and the Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF). AAUW was pleased to see three young women, who received LAF support, receive a positive verdict from the court in their effort to force their high school to meet Title IX requirements. The Branch contributes to these funds annually from the Book Sale profits. However, more is always needed. Please consider donating to the AAUW Foundation when you complete your end-of-year giving. Check it out at aauw.org.
Mary Dupuis, AAUW Funds Liaison
Branch Milestone Celebrations
25th—In 1941, a party, where members wore hats and clothing from
the early days of the branch and reminisced.
40th—In 1956, a tea with 90 attendees honored past branch
presidents.
50th—In 1966, $1,100 was awarded to AAUW Fellowships Program;
$600 to the Schlow Memorial Library to purchase display cases; a second Lucretia V. T. Simmons Graduate Scholarship of $100, in addition to the annual Graduate Scholarship Award.
75th—In 1991, $35,000 was committed, including a $12,000 pledge to
Family Health Services, Inc. (a group offering reproductive health care), $3,000, to the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State for a work of art, and $20,000 to the AAUW Educational Foundation ($10,500 to the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund for Women and Girls, $5,500 to International Fellowships and $4,000 to the Marjorie W. Dunaway Endowment).
Other noteworthy gifts—$25,000 to Schlow Memorial Library,
over time, starting in 2003, and $15,000 to the Centre County Women’s Resource Center, over time, starting in 2001.
¡Adelante! Book Club
We are reading This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President by Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf. We will meet at Café Lemont at noon on January 31, 2013. For more information, contact Pat Kephart at [email protected] or 234-2524.
Save the Date for the next AAUW Branch Program!
Thursday, January 24th Nittany Lion Inn
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
We will have lunch with the Humphrey Fellows, and they will present:
International Perspectives on Women’s Issues
Details provided in January newsletter.
Branching Out Page 4
Campaign School for Women: Getting Ready to Run
When Dana Brown spoke to us in October about women in elected office, she pointed out that, once women comprise 30% of the membership of any governing body, the likelihood is, we will see cooperation instead of gridlock. Women are more likely to build bridges than blow them up.
We had record success in this election, but we remain well short of our goal of equal representation. In 2013, we will elect school board members, borough council members, township supervisors and judges. Could you be one of them? Is there another woman you'd like to encourage?
If so, Dana Brown can give you a great start at her campaign school in January. This school is not partisan. Rather, you will get the basics, geared to women candidates, from people who are qualified and realistic.
Mary Dupuis and Dianne Gregg
Public Policy Co-chairs
Ready to Run™ Pittsburgh (Campaign School)
Saturday, January 12, 2013 Chatham University, Pittsburgh
http://www.chatham.edu/pcwp/education/readytorun/pittsburgh.cfm
Women and the 2012 Election From AAUW Dialog on the AAUW website, November 7, 2012
Never mind 1992, 2012 is the “Year of the Woman!” Women turned out to vote in droves. We made up 53 percent of the electorate nationwide, and in many of the swing states, women were the majority of the electorate. Voters ages 18-29 made up 19 percent of the national turnout. And one report estimated that, of Americans in that age range, at least 49 percent (22-23 million people) voted. Lastly, women proved to be the difference for President Barack Obama, who won with an 18-point gender gap nationwide and the help of 68 percent of single women.
But women didn’t just shape this election – they broke new ground with many historic firsts:
Reps.-elect Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) will make New Hampshire the first state to have an all-female congressional delegation – with a female governor to boot. The state assembly also boasts more women members than men as of 2010.
Sens.-elect Deb Fischer (R-NE), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), will break records in the Senate to bring the total to 20 female senators, the most ever. Six female Democratic senators also were also re-elected.
Baldwin became the first openly gay person elected to the Senate. Warren will become Massachusetts’ first female senator. Hirono will become the first Asian woman in the US Senate and the first female senator from Hawaii.
The Republicans retained their leadership in the House, though with a slightly smaller advantage than they had in the last Congress. At least 77 women will serve in the House, up from the current high of 73.
We voted on more than candidates though. Also on ballots across the country were referenda on marriage equality, educational opportunity, affirmative action, and reproductive rights. AAUW took positions on initiatives in Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Washington. For details on these referenda and AAUW’s positions on them, check out http://blog-aauw/org/2012/11/07/women -and-the-2012-election/.
Although our efforts to advance education and equity for women and girls are far from over, today we should celebrate all that we’ve accomplished. Our votes made the difference and we were heard.
Mary Dupuis and Dianne Gregg, Public Policy Co-chairs
Want to learn more about AAUW beyond our branch? The 2013 state-wide meeting
and the national convention offer two perfect opportunities!
AAUW-PA Annual Meeting Saturday, April 13th, 2013 Toftrees Resort, State College
Details Forthcoming!
AAUW National Convention June 9-13 — New Orleans
http://www.aauw.org/convention/index.cfm
Page 5 Branching Out
Maryann Domitrovitz [email protected]
I attended an AAUW program this fall and had a chance to interact with some AAUW members. From there, I decided to join AUWW and to volunteer because I believe that AAUW is a valuable asset to the community.
I am a graduate of East Stroudsburg State College (now University) and prior to my arrival in SC, I taught health and physical education in the NJ public schools. At Penn State, I taught and advised undergraduate students in the teacher education program and retired from the College of Health and Human Development after thirty-two years of teaching.
Since my retirement, I have been fortunate to travel with family members and friends. My focus is to travel to places where I can enjoy the outdoors -- be it hiking or golfing. The western states have the most appeal to me, particularly the national parks, although I have been a frequent visitor to New England.
When I’m not travelling, I could be gardening, golfing, bird watching, hiking, planning a vacation with my family or volunteering. I’m a member of RSVP and participate in stream water monitoring. In addition, I enjoy the cultural and athletic programs sponsored by the university and the community.
I look forward to meeting you and contributing time to AAUW’s many worthwhile projects.
New Member Welcome
Maryann has joined the Monday night team at the Used Book Workshop, pricing paperback books.
Sister Act AAUW State College Branch Co-president Candace Davison has good reason to be proud of her little sister, Char Rusnak. Char received the Army’s Superior Civilian Service Award for her contributions during a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan. Char’s road to Kabul started at Penn State in 1986 where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Ceramic Science in Engineering. After spending more than a decade in Southern California’s rocket industry, she headed back East to work at the Pentagon as a Department of Defense civilian.
In 2010, Char earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. During her studies, she learned about UN Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security. Char became so passionate about taking action to engage more women in the peace and security sector, she volunteered for a Civilian Expeditionary Workforce position in Kabul. Her task with NATO Training Mission Afghanistan was to help the Afghan Ministry of Defense integrate more women into the Afghan National Army.
During her tenure, Afghan women became enrolled in the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s equivalent to West Point, and began helicopter pilot training in the United States. In addition, the Afghan Ministry of Defense established an office for oversight of the recruiting, training and assigning of women. Now back in the states, Char has the time to share her experiences as a female U.S. civilian working with a military coalition to elevate the role of women in peace and security in Afghanistan, the country that was identified as the worst place in the world to be a woman.
Discussions are now underway to identify an opportunity to bring Char to State College in 2013 for a branch program. Her experience in working to help Afghani women is powerful. Stay tuned for details.
There is no occasion for women to consider themselves subordinate or inferior to men.—Mahatma Ghandi
Char Rusnak received the Army’s Superior Civilian Service Award for her contributions during a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan.
(LOG from page 1)
Outstanding Woman of the State College Branch, the Teal Award, the Branch Volunteer of the Year, and the Gateway to Equity Award. Best wishes for the holidays and a happy new year!
Candace Davison & Charlene Harrison, Branch Co-Presidents
About AAUW
Since its first meeting in 1881,
AAUW has been a catalyst for
change. Today, with more than
100,000 members and donors,
1,000 branches, and 500 college
and university partners, AAUW
advances equity for women and
girls through advocacy, education,
philanthropy, and research.
AAUW's voice has long influenced
legislative debate on critical social
issues. It provides millions of
dollars in fellowships, grants and
awards to outstanding women from
around the globe and for
community action projects. AAUW
also funds pioneering research on
women, girls, and education.
Through leadership programs,
women and girls acquire the skills
they need to succeed and assume
leadership roles in their academic,
professional, and personal lives.
In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or class.
AAUW State College Branch P.O. Box 735
State College, PA 16804 www.aauwstatecollege.org
Mark Your Calendar
Monday, December 17th January newsletter items due: [email protected]
Monday, January 7, 11:45 a.m. AAUW Branch Board Meeting—Used Book Workshop. All members welcome.
Thursday, January 24th Nittany Lion Inn, 11:30—1:00 Branch program: Lunch and International Perspectives on Women’s Issues with the Humphrey Fellows. Details provided in January newsletter.
Used Book Workshop 2100 East College Avenue
(814) 235-6884
Branch Co-presidents: Candace Davison, [email protected]
Charlene Harrison, [email protected]
To join, renew, or update your membership, contact:
Membership Vice-presidents Michelle Decker
[email protected] Carol Hodes
Newsletter: Connie Schroeder
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
View the Keystoner, AAUW-PA newsletter
http://aauw-pa.aauw.net/about-us/keystoner/
Reaching AAUW
AAUW Member HELPLINE: 800/326-2289 AAUW E-mail: [email protected] AAUW website: http://www.aauw.org AAUW Congressional Action Line: 202/785-7786
Congratulations to Sally Kalin who has established two unique endowed professorships at Penn State which will provide funds for
librarians' efforts to advance technological and learning innovations during the first decade of their careers.
Congratulations to Suzanne Kerlin on the birth of a grandson, Dashiell Kai KerMorris, born on October 28 to Bridget and Tony KerMorris, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He joins sisters Gwendolyn, Adeline and Isla.
Congratulations to Sue and Jack Poremba whose son, Dylan, was married on May 19 to Katie Borland in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania.
Please send Have You Heard items to Louise Tukey, [email protected].
Recently, AAUW National shared a list of 2012 events that showed that the AAUW agenda is advancing. Excerpts include:
The teen pregnancy rate dropped to its lowest level since at least 1972, partly due to increased contraceptive use among teens of both genders.
The Senate-passed, bipartisan Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized. Building on the success of previous reauthorizations, AAUW will continue to pressure the House to agree to this vital reauthorization.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation restored grants to Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings following a national uproar that included AAUW's decision to sever a tie with the foundation's Race for the Cure.
The Obama administration created a Master Teacher Corps program to boost STEM education to help add 100,000 additional math and science teachers in the next 10 years.
Certain spousal benefits to same-sex domestic partners of federal employees were expanded.
President Barack Obama endorsed AAUW priority anti-bullying legislation, the Student Nondiscrimination Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act.
The Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in a complex 5-4 decision in June 2012. It will improve the collective health of the American people.
Equal Futures, a partnership between the United States and 12 countries to help empower and advance women and girls, was created. It will expand opportunities for women in business, leadership, and the STEM fields.
To view the complete list, visit: http://capwiz.com/aauw/issues/alert/?
alertid=62171581&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]
AAUW Agenda Moves Forward in 2012
