club NEWS – AAUW

Nancy Bolsen, president of the Manhattan branch of the American Association of University Women, called the meeting to order Saturday morning in the Cottonwood Room of the K-State Student Union.  Program chair Tresa Landis introduced the speaker, Dr. Sonya Britt, assistant professor and program director of personal financial planning at KSU.

According to Britt’s research, arguments over family financial matters can become some of the hardest to resolve in a marriage.  This becomes particularly problematic when one partner tends to be a “spender” and the other a “saver”.  Financial disagreements early in a marriage may continue for years to come.  She finds 80% of couples hide spending from each other.  Women are more likely to do so over clothes or gifts.  Men tend to spend on alcohol and music.

Britt believes premarital counseling should be required, and include financial issues.

Scholarship chair, Claudia Jones, introduced the winners of this year’s $1,000 scholarships.  The winners are Emily Hess, Shana Schmidt and Angel Alvarado.  Branch scholarships are given yearly to non-traditional women students returning to school to complete their education.  Often women put aside their education after the birth of children and return to complete degrees when children are older.  AAUW’s scholarship fund is established with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation.

Claudia Jones also introduced Loriel Cross who personally funded one of AAUW’s scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year.

AAUW meets again Monday evening, February 10, at the First Congregational Church.  Jodi Kaus, program director of Powercat Financial Counseling at K-State, will discuss college financial planning.

Persons interested in learning more about AAUW in Manhattan should go to manhattan-ks.aauw.net, email manhattanksaauw@gmail.com, or contact Kathy Borck at 785-776-6297.