Branch president Barbara Gatewood welcomed many guests and new members to the February branch meeting. Vice President for programs, Mary Stamey, introduced the evening’s speaker, Pat Hudgins, who spoke on “Leaders in the African American Community.” Hudgins is associate director of Career and Employment Services at K-State and serves as liaison to the College of Education. She is a member of the executive board of the K-State Black Faculty and Staff Alliance and serves the greater Manhattan community as an elected School Board member.

During her talk, Hudgins emphasized the theme of “Making a Difference.” In honor of black history month, Hudgins spoke about black women inventors, such as Alice Parker who invented central heating in 1919. Female black inventors advanced web-cam and security technology, invented the toaster, laser surgery equipment, the stapler, architectural engineering scale, and the hoist loading mechanism…to mention just a few. Hudgins spoke of local leaders and recommended the Manhattan history, A Hundred and Forty Years of Soul: 1865-2005, by Geraldine Baker Walton, saying, “Make a difference where you are and start small.” Among the long list of accomplished local leaders is Dr. Gwen O’Neill, first African American department head at K-State, who led the department of apparel, textiles, and interior design; Dr. Carla Jones, one of few African American vice-presidents at K-State; La Barbara Wigfall, professor of regional and community planning, who has been instrumental in preserving African American history in the state of Kansas.

The next Manhattan AAUW branch meeting will be held at the First Congregational Church, 700 Poyntz Avenue, at 6pm, Monday, March 9. The program will feature Marilyn Fox, STEM Educator and Science Teacher, speaking on “Opportunities for Branch Involvement in STEM Programs for Young Women.” Persons interested in learning more about AAUW in Manhattan may go to manhattan-ks.aauw.net or email manhattanksaauw@gmail.com.