AAUW awards $1,000 scholarship to Woodruff

The Jamestown Branch of the American Association of University Women held its April meeting at the Buffalo Mall community room. The branch awarded a scholarship of $1,000 to Alexandra Woodruff, a Jamestown College junior, to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders set for the University of Maryland in June. The conference is sponsored by the American Association of University Women and brings college women from throughout the U.S. together for three days of workshops, presentations and networking opportunities. Woodruff is majoring in political science and participates in the Character in Leadership Program at James-town College.

Joan Enderle led the program and Mindi Grieve shared information from AAUW research “Behind the Pay Gap” and “Gains in Learning, Gaps in Earning.” The research shows that although women have made remarkable gains in education during the past three decades, these achievements have resulted in only modest improvements in pay equity. Changes in equal pay laws are needed to ensure women and men are compensated fairly when they perform the same or comparable work. Flexibility, meaningful part-time work opportunities and expanded provisions for medical and family leave are important to help women and men better balance work and family responsibilities. AAUW supports Senate Bill S182, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which is a comprehensive bill that would create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, empower women to negotiate for equal pay and strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts. More information relating to pay equity is available on the AAUW Web site www.aauw.org.

The bookstore committee reported that a new cash register has been purchased for the store. The store continues to receive donations and sorting/ pricing sessions are held each Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the store open then also. No Saturday opening is scheduled for May.

Information was given and discussed about Camp Invention, a science enrichment program for grades 1-6. It is a week-long camp and will be held at Jamestown High School. The branch agreed to investigate the possibility of providing scholarship funds for the program.

Several members will be attending the State Membership Meeting in Devils Lake May 1-2 and the Association Convention in St. Louis in late June.

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