Category Archives: College Outreach

Did You Know?

Sacramento Branch Interns!! By Liz Jordan and Gloria Yost

In the March Capital Ideas, we introduced Renee Walters, one of our two CSUS Interns.  Just to review the context, in December of 2023, the Board approved a pilot program of Internship with Professor Lina Rincon at CSUS.  In January, we looked over applications and two young women were hired to work along with Professor Rincon to reestablish an affiliate branch on the CSUS campus.

Alexis Perrott is a Public History major who wants to expand our understanding of US History through research and education.  She grew up in Hanford, CA in the Fresno area, and is a junior at CSUS this year.  Alexis is excited to develop ideas for empowering women and girls and is grateful for the opportunity to sharpen leadership skills through this internship with AAUW Sacramento.  She says, “Mostly I am grateful to be part of something greater than me.”

We are grateful to have Alexis and Renee developing a new AAUW branch on the CSUS campus and raising awareness of AAUW’s mission and opportunities.

Nevada County AAUW Scholarship Gala – April 27, 2024

Bup Greenwood of the Nevada County AAUW has sent an invitation to their April 27th Gala to support Nevada County AAUW’s local scholarship program.  Some of our members hiked with Auburn members who asked for this information.  It should be a fun evening at Karen Hull’s lovely estate in the country north of Auburn.

The invitation <here> gives the information about the event and the web address to purchase tickets online.  Or, just click this link to buy tickets:

AAUW Events – Nevada County Branch

Sunshine Chair

Pat Winkle is our Sunshine Chair and needs to hear from you if you know members who might appreciate a get well, sympathy or “thinking of you” card. As she doesn’t know everyone, she needs your help in remembering our friends. Her contact information is in the directory.

Printable Newsletter Articles

Click here for Printable Newsletter Articles.

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

AAUW members are very generous people as witnessed by the food donated at our Holiday Luncheon in December. Several members donated later, and I had the opportunity to visit the food closet at CSUS in January, before classes began.

I was given the tour of the room where students come to get needed food. They have a refrigerator and have received a generous grant to buy a larger one. Food is organized by type, such as cereal and canned soup that appeared to come from bulk purchases, probably facilitated by monthly donations. They also have a large rack of bread products, which concerned me as school was on break. The coordinator of the facility said that they go through this really large rack of bread in two hours during school, and there are students who are local who also come in during the break. There were bins of carrots and potatoes, probably donated by a farmer.

This brings me to a way we can further be involved. Soil Born Farms has volunteers who come out on Saturdays to pick and donate fruit from your backyard trees if you would like to donate it. They then distribute the fruit to local food banks, one of which is at CSUS. To donate in this way: Go to Soil Born.org, click ‘volunteer’, next ‘Join the Harvest Sacramento team’, then ‘Donate — donate your fruit’ options are 1. “We harvest and donate the fruit from your tree,” complete the form shown there, or 2. “You harvest and donate fruit from your tree,” Locate a donation site near you. Click on that to enter your location and enter how many miles you are willing to travel to donate.

As a further way to help: They also give students cookbooks with recipes that are quick and easy, like having only a few ingredients. Who doesn’t have way too many cookbooks? I live near CSUS and can deliver if you would like to give them to me when you see me — perhaps at a book group meeting!

CSUS Internship

Branch Undertakes Exciting New Internship Project with CSUS By Liz Jordan

In November 2023, the board for our Sacramento Branch voted to create a new outreach program in cooperation with CSUS Sociology Professor Lina Rincon.  The program is a semester-long internship in which students research and learn about AAUW, how to establish a new affiliate club on the CSUS campus, etc.

Professor Rincon, sociologist and faculty developer for settings in higher education, has been meeting with Gloria Yost and Liz Jordan of our branch, working out funding for three internship positions. Dr. Rincon, who teaches and conducts research on race and ethnic relations along with migration of Latinx professionals and DEI in higher education, is also a member of our branch and the representative to National for CSUS.    She recently served as director of faculty diversity and inclusion at CSUS.

The paid internships, funded by both the Sacramento Branch of AAUW and the university, will begin in early February.  Several applicants have expressed their desire to take advantage of this opportunity.  This is an exciting new pilot program for the branch; we are excited to meet and help guide students through this project in cooperation with Dr. Rincon.

NCCWSL is Live Again!

NCCWSL is Live Again! By Gloria Yost

The Sacramento Branch is proud to sponsor three young women from Sac State to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL).  The conference will be held at the University of Maryland, College Park, May 31-June 3, 2023.  This year’s theme:

ENGAGE, LEARN AND LEAD: STEP INTO YOUR POWER!

Our attendees are:

  • Roshelle Czar – women’s studies major
  • Marissa Floyd – child development in social and community context major
  • Paola Mendez – political science journalism major

We hope they take full advantage of this experience.

Speech Trek and Sac State Buzz

Speech Trek By  Ann Arneill

Speech Trek is getting into full swing with our busy fall season.  All nine campuses in the Elk Grove Unified High School District participate in our public speaking contest.  Now is the time we recruit students to participate by distributing our promotional materials and having students sign up for workshops scheduled for November, which Shari Beck and Ann Arneill will be conducting.  At these workshops, we inform students about the contest rules, present the topic, give them resources for researching the topic and provide public speaking tips.  Once the students who decide to participate have completed their speech drafts, we will give them feedback on their speeches.  The topic this year is very timely:  “How can communities, organizations and citizens of all ages help protect and expand voting rights?” The contest will be held on Feb. 18, 2023.  We hope conduct it in person at Cosumnes River College, COVID-19 pandemic conditions permitting.

Don’t forget about the Speech Trek Challenge that will be held via Zoom on Jan. 21, 2023.  Members will have a chance to discuss the topic in advance of the contest to pique their interest.

Sac State Buzz By Gloria Yost

Do you know?

  • Sac State expects 3,200 students for the 2022-23 academic year.
  • Sac State’s mascot is the hornet – Stingers Up!!
  • All undergraduate students can sign up for free AAUW e-memberships.
  • There are hundreds of campus student clubs for students to choose from.

 

We Welcome New CSUS AAUW Representatives

We Welcome New CSUS AAUW Representatives By Gloria Yost

Katherine Betts, who started her higher education journey at CSU Chico, is the director of Belonging Education and Support in the Department of Inclusive Excellence at Sac State.  She received her MA from Indiana State University and is currently working on a PhD from Toledo University.  Katherine says she is excited to be back in California and looks forward to strengthening ties between CSUS and AAUW, especially with the Sacramento Branch.

Aisha Engle has been program coordinator for the Women’s Resource Center at Sac State for the past eight years and has just moved over to the Career Center where she will be working as a career/financial/wellness counselor.  She received both her BA and MA degrees at CSUS.  Aisha’s many campus connections and enthusiasm are a great resource as we work to re-establish our AAUW Sac State student affiliate.

Both Katherine Betts an Aisha Engle have joined out branch and we look forward to meeting them in person.

We thank our previous CSUS AAUW partners, Professor Molly Dugan and Leigh Barber of the Academic Affairs Office, for connections between our branch and Sac State that they helped nourish.

Sac State Buzz: Did You Know?              

  • CSUS is a college/university partner with AAUW.
  • All undergraduate students can sign up for free AAUW e-memberships.
  • Students and staff have access to the wealth of resources on the AAUW website, including opportunities to apply for fellowships and grants and to take advantage of AAUW partner benefits.

CSUS, fondly known as Sac State, is continuing its college/university partnership with AAUW, which means all undergraduate students on campus can sign up for free AAUW e-memberships.

Messages from our 2021 NCCWL Attendees

Messages from our 2021 NCCWSL Attendees-Forwarded by Gloria Yost

NCCWSL = National Conference for Collegiate Women Student Leaders

I wanted to let you know that I got the NCCWSL tote bag and the wonderful card! I did have such an enjoyable experience at NCCWSL. I learned a lot, but my favorite part was the STEM table. Being a STEM major myself, I found it inspiring to hear from the women featured. One of the ladies, Jen Tassi, was a forensic chemistry major in college and that’s what I’m majoring in, so it was just so exciting to hear from someone who went through the same path I’m currently working through. We focused a lot on mentorship in our breakout room with Maria Molina Higgins, who is a professor of engineering at Penn State University; how to find a mentor, how to be a mentor, how to promote yourself, etc. It was a smaller and more intimate talk than the main Zoom session, so it was good to hear the questions from the other girls.

Overall, I had an amazing experience, and it made me excited for the future working with AAUW! Thank you very much for the opportunity!
–Serena Sotelo

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I want to thank the Sacramento AAUW chapter for the tote bag and support in attending the NCCWSL. I enjoyed listening to the amazing speakers and participating in conversations around succeeding as a woman in a science major. I left the conference feeling inspired and motivated. It was great to speak with those who are on, or have been on, a similar path.

I also enjoyed Dr. Taharee Jackson’s talk that centered around the Black Lives Matter movement. I appreciated her sharing different stories, wisdom, and the importance of being willing to learn about the challenges people in our communities face.  Humanity is a community, and when someone is suffering in a community, it is important to listen and learn to make changes so that every person in that community feels equal, safe and respected.

Thank you again for the meaningful experience!
–Tiffiny Joseph

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I want to thank the Sacramento AAUW chapter for sponsoring me to attend NCCWSL, sending me the NCCWSL tote bag, and for opening your doors to allow me to get to know the chapter better!

I thoroughly enjoyed NCCWSL, and attended several panels and workshops, including one on starting a nonprofit, which reignited my excitement in nonprofit work! I also attended a panel on financial confidence, something that was and continues to be so helpful to me right now as I have just graduated and my financials will be changing soon, once I get a job.

Thank you again for your assistance and kindness, and I hope to meet you all in October! Sending wishes of health and happiness to you all.
–Ashley D. Jeffers

Members Write Messages of Cheer for Sac State Students

Members Write Messages of Cheer for Sac State Students By Bonnie Penix and Gloria Yost

Students in need at Sac State were fortunate to receive grocery bags full of holiday foods from the ASI Food Pantry during November, December and January. They also received original messages of hope and cheer tucked into each bag. This is thanks to our branch members who participated in the card/letter writing campaign we held the last two weeks in November.  Sixteen of our members wrote 188 messages! Some also sent monetary donations to the Food Pantry on their own. Thank you to all who helped make the CSUS students’ holiday more personal and special. They were most appreciative.