| Amsterdam-Gloversville-Johnstown AAUW (AGJ AAUW) A powerful network of educated women Serving Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton Counties Mission: The American Association of University Women (AAUW) will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in Equity and Education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls. HISTORY: The nation's (and the world's) first organization of university women, the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (ACA), was initiated in 1881, at a meeting held at Chauncy Hall in Boston. Miss Marion Talbot, one of the first to enroll at Boston University when it opened a liberal arts college and admitted women, and Alice E. Freeman, acting President of Wellesley College, addressed the group of sixty-five women. The new association would promote higher education for women, could assist college-educated women with a "helpful influence" as they pursued various occupations, and could” help them utilize the privilege of higher learning for the good of society…” . In l883, the Western Association of Collegiate Alumnae (WACA) was organized in Chicago. This new group provided a “Bureau of Correspondence” to encourage communication between college women in the U.S., Great Britain, and continental Europe. It was "the first printed indication" that American university women were seeking an international alliance. In 1889, the ACA and the WACA met in Buffalo and merged. In l903, the Southern Association of College Women (SACW) was formed with l7 charter members. Angie Warren Perkins, the first woman graduate of Wesleyan College in Connecticut, was the promoter of this organization. In 1921, the merged ACA and the SACW united, in a welcome fusion, to form the American Association of University Women (AAUW) because the organizations shared common goals and objectives. Since the “collegiate” had no meaning abroad, “university” was substituted in the name of the new association. Today, with more than 100,000 members, 1,300 branches, and 550 college and university partners, AAUW contributes to a more promising future and provides a powerful voice for education and equity for women and girls. In the Roaring Twenties, Marie Curie spoke at the Buffalo branch as the NYS segment raised money for her to buy a gram of radium for her research. The Mohawk Valley branch hosted the first official State Convention in 1928. In 1967, a small group of women founded a branch of the AAUW in this area that gave birth to Women's Rights pioneer Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The late Eleanor Reed was the first President of this organization. The seminal group of 15 women has grown like the biblical mustard seed into a tree of 80 members including two of the founding members, Helen Mandato, and Phoebe Boschi. Nestled in the Foothills region of the Adirondack Mountains and the Mohawk Valley, the Amsterdam-Gloversville-Johnstown branch ”Lives the Mission” through monthly activities that are painstakingly planned during the summer. The branch “Shares the Mission” and offers GATEWAYS to women by collaborating with the area YWCA, BPW, Mohawk Pathways Girl Scouts, the local community college FMCC, and other agencies that work towards the welfare of women. It is an AAUW 21st Century Recognition winner: GOLD at state level in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 and GOLD at the national level in 2003. AGJ AAUW branch Presents scholarships to high school and Fulton-Montgomery Community College students Contributes to community causes Presents Excellence in Math and Science Awards to area 8th grade girls Provides programs like Sister-to-Sister Summits for girls Disseminates information on National, State, and local issues in a monthly tech newsletter Supports the AAUW Education Foundation Supports the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Collaborates and sponsor the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Symposium Constitutes a portion of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Consortium “In principle and 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, national origin, or class.” Eligibility for membership: Hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Join the AAUW Community - http://www.agjaauw.org |
