Kansas Star Branch
American Association of University Women

Become a Kansas Star Branch and be recognized at the Kansas Annual Meeting for your achievements! It is not necessary to have achieved all Stars, simply document what accomplishments were made this 2014 year. You may attach related documentation (newspaper articles, meeting announcements, photographs, flyers, etc.) Deadline for submission is APRIL 1, 2015.  Recognition will be given at the Kansas Annual Meeting on April 11.

Submit applications to:

Terri Sullivan
KS AAUW Vice President
5900 Lockton Lane
Fairway, KS 66205
or Sullivan.teresa@att.net.

Stars

1. Membership: Branch gained new members, maintained membership, hosted membership event, etc. Explain:The Manhattan Branch had another exemplary year in membership activities because of the dedicated recruitment efforts coordinated by Membership VP, Nancy Bolsen, and the Membership Subteam. In total, 43 new members joined between July 1, 2014 and April 1, 2015, based on the membership rosters provided by National. This includes:
   • 15 Regular Memberships (national, state and branch): Marie Bovee, Shelley Carver, Tamara Denson, Bente Janda, Katrina Lewis, Sue Maes, Karen McCulloh, Jane Mullen, Beverly Peterson, Maurine Pruitt, Laura Reynolds, Shauntia Rippee, Hong Wang, Adena Weiser, and Tim Weiser.
   • 9 MALS (National MAL and Graduate Students): Glenda Leung, Katherine Nesse, Cassandra Jones, Sun Zhenhua, Elizabeth Gutierrez, Kassie Curran, Lacy Ward, Anastasia Cooper, and Laura Vallejo.
   • 19 E-Student Affiliates: Miriam Gutierrez, Jennifer Bonvie Marsland, Emily Kelly, Kathryn Silva, Crystal Taitt-Phillip, Mary Khadivi, Miriam Cox, Aubrey Griffin, Ashel Vas, Christine Vavra, Geneva Cameron, Megan Cordell, Cassandra Stallbaumer, Taylor Mann, Sharon Nichols, Frances Mendoza, Denise Case, Hannah Gordon, and Jacqueline Ramirez.
     Membership events that were effective in recruiting new members included:
   • Branch members inviting potential members to monthly meetings with a complimentary dinner paid for by branch note card sales.
   • Utilizing the Shape the Future Campaign in which members attended a meeting or function and received a National membership at half price.
   • Awarding all free National membership generated through the Shape the Future Campaign
   • Having display booths at events, including the Community Fair in the Manhattan Town Mall, League of Women Voter forums and talks, Welcome Week at K-State, and Start Smart Salary Negotiation Workshops.
   • First successful Wine and Women Convo on December 10 at a member’s home that was hosted by the Membership and Recruiting Team
   • Maintained an exciting, informative and up-to-date branch website (https://manhattan-ks.aauw.net/ ) that clearly defines the benefits of joining the branch, state and National organization with a readily accessible JOIN tab.
   • Actively promotes AAUW fellowships and grants at K-State and in the community along with information about how to join the organization.
2. Projects/events: Explain any project or event your Branch undertook in the 2014-2015 program year. Includes activities designed by AAUW such as Sister to Sister, Woman to Woman, Tech Check, Candidate Forums, STEMS or projects designed by the Branch such as local scholarships, book sales, tutoring, supplying materials for educators, etc.
   • Branch Board and Leadership Team Retreat, K-State Innovation Center, July 8 and July 30, 2015. Two successful retreats were held to establish mission-based priorities and plan activities for the 2014-15 year. The branch is utilizing a “team approach” to facilitate cooperative planning and identifying new initiatives.
   • Public Policy Coordinator, Jean Lee has “rekindled the branch’s focus on public policy issues” by writing monthly articles on public policy for the branch newsletter, giving reports at monthly board and branch meeting, writing Letters to the Editor, and serving as co-chair of the Manhattan League of Women Voters.
   • Multiple announcements and articles about AAUW Fellowships and Grants in the branch newsletter and K-State Today. With the assistance of Carol Shanklin, Dean of the Graduate School, 14 key administrators were identified across campus to help distribute to the funding announcements to all deans, department heads, graduate faculty, and graduate students.
   • Epson America Donated an Epson Powerlite 955W Projector and Carry Case to the branch to enhance our ability to conduct high-quality educational and professional programs for the branch, community and university. A request letter was sent to the company by the President Gatewood during the summer.
   • Four Interest Groups (Creative Cookery, Great Decisions, Book Talk, and Serendipity) meet each month to enhance learning and friendship among our members and guests.
   • Members were encouraged to become AAUW Two-Minute Activists with a special “how to” article in the November 2014 newsletter.
   • Wine and Women Convo, December 10, 2014. The Membership Team hosted a social event as a great way to “mix” with potential members in a fun and casual setting.
   • AAUW Branch Booth, Welcome Week, K-State Union, August 28, 2014
     Ten E-student Affiliates were recruited at our informative booth displaying the benefits of membership in AAUW, resources, funding opportunities, and programs.
   • AAUW E-publications, such as Lead ON: AAUW’s Newsletter for Member
     Leaders, LAF Express, and Membership Matters, are featured in newsletter articles so members can become more aware of information and resources produced by AAUW.
   • Branch Archives Subteam formed in Dec. 2014 to review branch archives at the Riley Country Museum. This is a long time project because the materials date from the early 1920’s. The team has developed guideline for determining what materials will be kept.
   • Start Smart Salary Negotiation Workshops held on October 21, 2014 with 18 students attending and April 14, 2015 with 40 + students and six new facilitators attending.
   • AAUW Diversity & Inclusion Webinar, Jan 14, 2015, hosted at President’s home for members and invited guests.
   • Exhibited at Manhattan Community Fair, Manhattan Town Center, February 7, 2015. It was a great opportunity to meet and inform people about AAUW. Several new members were recruited.
   • Women for Manhattan Meetings, December 2014 – April 2015. This is a grass roots movement in Manhattan to encourage and attract more women to seek local office in the school board and city elections on April 7. The meetings were attended by multiple branch members, including three who are City Commissioners, one who is a State Representative, and another member who is on the School Board. AAUW’s branch president was introduced at each meeting, and meeting announcements were
     distributed to all members. Several members joined as a result of our participation.
   • Elect Her – Campus Women Win Subteam was organized in January to begin preparing a proposal to be submitted in September 2015. The subteam met in January to review the application guidelines and timeline.
   • STEM Program Coordinator was identified to provide leadership on developing new initiatives in this area. The coordinator, Marilyn Fox, is an outstanding science teacher with a focus on STEM. The branch allocated funds for two $100 scholarships for students to attend the STEM Summer Institute at K-State. The applications were developed, distributed to 6th grade students and are being reviewed. Additional
     scholarship funds are being obtained from members that feel committed to the initiative.
   • MLK Day Jan 15, 2015 Observance Week and Black History Month. Several members attended the MLK luncheon at the K-State Union and were recognized at the luncheon. Patricia Hudgins gave a special program on “Women Leaders in the African American Community”.
   • “Politics and the Judiciary: Who Will Judge You?” by James Robinson, K-State Union, February 14, 2015. The League of Women voters and AAUW co-hosted this campus-wide seminar on the position of Kansas for Fair Courts to a proposal to eliminate merit selection and politicize the Kansas Supreme Court.
   • Three Letters to the Editor in the Manhattan Mercury:
     • August 4, 2014 – Don’t Miss This Opportunity to Voice Your Preferences
     • July 30, 2014 – Primaries are Important; Please Make Yourself Heard
     • July 16, 2014 – Let’s End Victim-Blaming in Sexual Assault Cases
   • Cover letters and copies of Women in Community Colleges: Access to Success were sent six community colleges in Kansas to inform them about the need for child care services for student mothers and information related to STEM careers.
   • Manhattan Branch Scholarships, deadline, April 1, 2015. The branch awards three $1,000 scholarships each year to nontraditional student who are returning to school after a three—year absence. Five applications have been received this year and are currently being reviewed. The scholarships are publicized at three different locations, thus giving the branch significant visibility.
   • Candidate Forum, March 26, 2015, co-sponsored by the LWV and AAUW. Jean Lee, Public Policy Chair coordinated these activities, which bring considerable recognition to AAUW and has resulted in several new members.
   • Annual Grown Green Match Day, Greater Manhattan Community Foundation
     April 22, 2015. Annual event to raise money for AAUW Manhattan Branch
     Scholarship Fund. Every dollar contributed generates a 50% match.
3. Visibility: Explain any visibility gained by the Branch as a result of a program or project.
   See description within each of the above program/project.
4. Funds: Submitted Branch donation to Kansas EF Vice President by
   December 15 deadline.      Amount ______
   Legal Advocacy Fund: Submitted Branch donation to Kansas LAF Chair by December 15 deadline.      Amount ______
   Note: A $454 donation was made to the AAUW Funds in December 2015 after the December 15 deadline.
5. Kansas Leader Visit: A member of the Kansas State Board visited the Branch.
   Name_________________________________ Date____________
6. Branch Newsletter
   Nine issues were published from September 2014 through May 2015. The Manhattan Branch Newsletter was completely redesigned two years ago and ranges from 6 – 10 pages in length. Each issue contains a broad spectrum of exciting information, including highlights of the program from the previous monthly meeting, an overview of the upcoming branch meeting, profiles of new members and scholarship winners, articles and
   announcements on National and State activities, special announcement on projects and interest groups, write-ups on National fellowships and grants and branch scholarships, and monthly branch calendars. Eight of the newsletters are attached.
7. Participation at State, Regional and National Meetings (which and how many attended):
   • 2014 Midwest Regional Conference, Lake of the Ozarks, June 13-14, 2014. Two branch members attended the biennial meeting, attended by officers from the Midwest branches in AR, IL, IA, KS, MO, NE, LA, and TX. The conference theme, “AAUW Advocacy and You” focused on AAUW public policy issues, making our voices heard, fundraising strategies, branch branding, how to share leadership skills, and STEM program ideas. It was an excellent conference and many idea were shred with the branch leaders during our summer retreats.
   • 2015 State Conference, El Dorado, April 11, 2015. Three or four branch members plan on attending the annual meeting. The theme is “Seeds for Growth.”
   • Our State Liaison, Nancy Bolsen has attended numerous meetings around the state as president of the AAUW State Board.
   • AAUW National Convention, San Diego, June 18-21. Three branch members plan on attending AAUW’s national convention.
8. Miscellaneous
   Tell us about a program that you had related to AAUW’s mission, how you
   promoted diversity awareness, ways you encouraged women’s participation in voter education or public policy, how you utilized AAUW research publications, what you have done to encourage members to assume leadership positions, share creative fundraising ideas, etc.:
   • In 2014-15, the AAUW Manhattan Branch had nine monthly meetings. Seven of the monthly meetings had mission-based programs that focused on issues of importance to AAUW. Our high-quality programs are critical to membership retention and recruitment. Because the branch is located in a university community, members/potential members are keen on becoming aware of national and local public policy issues, life-long learning, and advancing the equity of woman and girls. The
     branch has a long history of participation in public policy and voter education. Most women who join our branch become more knowledgeable about societal issues while forming friendships. The recent growth in membership reflects the value and impact of our branch on women in the Manhattan and surrounding communities.
   • Encouraging members to assume leadership positions is a high priority in our branch. We have recently moved to a team approach last year governance under the leadership of Nancy Bolsen and are refining the model. A more recent emphasis is to engage more members because it is critical to membership retention and the vitality of the branch. The elected and appointed officers and other leadership positions are
     being expanded to have more members in the “leadership pipeline.”
   • The need for fundraising is increasing. Last year, we produced and sold notecards with an award-winning design done by a 6-year old for an MLK art contest. We recently raised our branch dues from $13 – $15 , but more work needs to be done on fundraising.

Name and contact information for individual completing this form:

Name: Barbara M. Gatewood Phone: 785-539-8804
Address: 2921 Tatarrax Drive, Manhattan, KS 66502
E-mail address: bgatewd@ksu.edu

Thank you for being a Kansas Star Branch

Submitted April 6, 2015