The American Association of University Women has been fighting for gender equity since 1881 helping the next generation of women better themselves through attaining higher education.
Cheryl Markman, a San José resident and volunteer for the American Association of University Women (AAUW) said the association funds a multitude of projects called Community Action Grants including scholarships for college-aged women in the Santa Clara County area.
“We support women who have completed two years of college or university and are going on to a third and presumably fourth year or higher university or college,” Markman said. “We support them via scholarships . . . and we raise money through a couple of different ways such as grant writing, grant proposals and also through a fundraising campaign.”
Markman said that she has been involved with the AAUW since 1993 and witnessed the organization evolve and adapt while maintaining the goal of better meeting the needs of the community.
She said that in past years the AAUW would host a wonderful holiday boutique, which was their main source of fundraising until COVID-19 hit.
“I originally got involved because of the holiday boutique because it was a fun thing to do for a worthwhile cause,” Markman said.
She said the holiday boutique was a communal project, where people would offer handmade items such as home-baked goods, knitted items and all manners of holiday decor.
She said the interest groups that are part of AAUW would sell gift baskets reflective of their organizations such as the literary club which offered books.
Markman said the holiday boutique transitioned into online donations after COVID-19 began and has remained that way since.
“We’ve switched to the online campaign which has been very successful and a lot less work,” Markman said. “It reaches more people because you have to come to the boutiques physically during the hours that it was open to see what was there and what you wanted.”
She said the online campaign is open for about a week to potential donors who are able to donate from anywhere in the world.
She said through the association's fundraising efforts, they helped 22 women last year pay for their college tuition, rent and any other expenses.
Markman said that last year the local scholarship program paid over $100,000 to higher education institutions to help the scholarship winners obtain their degrees.
“School has gotten more and more expensive over the years, and it's harder for women (who) are more likely to be in debt for longer than their male counterparts,” she said.“We, as the American Association of University Women, are all college graduates and know the value of a good education and how hard it can be financially.”
Diane Trombetta, Los Gatos resident and a volunteer, said the local San José branch of the AAUW has been helping people for a long time.
She said the branch opened over 100 years ago in 1909 and began its mission shortly thereafter.
“Early on in the history of the branch (they) would have tea in the afternoon and people would pay to come and attend the tea (party) and that was fundraising,” Trombetta said.
Trombetta said besides the hard work that goes into fundraising, their ability to help others comes from grants and numerous family foundations who have helped the AAUW.
She said she has stayed involved over the years and devotes time to the AAUW because she is impressed with the organization.
Trombetta said the leadership is making sure that every “I is dotted and T is crossed,” and that the leadership maintains transparency.
“This branch tries to fulfill the mission of gender equity,” Trombetta said. “That’s the thing that drives us, is getting more women and girls involved in all aspects of life. Trying to get equity in politics and pay, you name it.”
She said she has two daughters and is excited to see the improvements that have been made in girls and women's lives once her daughters go to college.
Trombetta said there is a need to keep fighting for equality, rights and the kind of involvement that women want to have in society.
“Sometimes there's a misconception that gender equity is not going to help men as well as women, but it really helps families if you can get a woman educated and earning a decent salary,” Trombetta said. “This benefits her family, and her community. It's just a plus for everyone.”
She said the original focus of the AAUW was to have women graduate high school but things have gradually changed as the scope of education and the available opportunities have expanded.
Trombetta said they decided where help was most needed by doing a data-driven analysis.
“(In 2004) the scholarship committee noticed that our high school graduation rates were pretty good in the San José area, but our college graduation rates were much, much lower. 77% of students graduated from high school, but only about 27% were graduating from college,” she said.
Cheryl Markman said to apply for the scholarship you need a principal address in Campbell, Milpitas, Santa Clara, or San José and to have completed two full years of study at an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
She said another requirement is to be accepted to a four-year institution as a junior or senior for the following quarter or semester.
Margaret Bard, San José resident and AAUW volunteer, said she handles the in-person interview process for the scholarship program and has been on the interview team for 10 years.
“It's a highlight of my entire year because it gives me hope for the future when we talk to these young women who have overcome incredible obstacles,” Bard said. “Their future ambitions just make me hopeful about all of our futures. So I love talking to them and hearing about their plans.”
Bard said she is delighted to learn things about the applicants from these interviews.
She said she likes to ask the applicants about a class that has inspired them and finds herself amazed at the titles of these classes that they list.
Bard added that this opportunity to talk to bright young women has caught her up with the modern world, as things have changed a lot since she was in college.
Bard said a common misconception related to the scholarship program is how a recipient is chosen.
“We (take into consideration) if they have had to overcome a lot of obstacles to maintain that high-grade point average, what kinds of classes they have taken, and what they plan on doing with their life,” Bard said.
Chloe Ettinger, Milpitas resident and AAUW scholarship winner, said the association changed her future by helping her graduate from SFSU without any student loans.
Ettinger said expressing her determination to become a veterinarian despite the financial burden, emotional challenges and academic rigor appealed to the values of the AAUW.
She said the association helped her cover the large amount of $250,000 that the four-year graduate study program cost to become a veterinarian.
“The AAUW is like a treasure chest full of valuable resources beyond just scholarships,” Ettinger said. “As a student member, I have had opportunities to learn about networking, career advancement, public policy, financial literacy and more.”
She said the knowledge she has gained from the AAUW is directly applicable to her daily life now as she attends vet school and is on the path to establishing her career in the veterinary medical field.
Applications for the scholarship are being accepted now through April 15, according to the AAUW website.
“To prospective applicants, if you're thinking about applying to the AAUW's Local Scholarship Program . . . this is your sign to do it,” Ettinger said. “You would never know what opportunities are ahead unless you try. Be genuine, be passionate and be the good you want to see in the world.”
