—Together, we can achieve a vision of equal opportunity for all Over the past 140 years, AAUW has become the leading voice in advancing gender equity in education and workplaces. Are you interested in building your network, enhancing your professional development, and working alongside others to advocate for change? Connect with individuals who share your commitment to inclusion on our campuses, in our workplaces, and in our communities — and who want to do something about it. Join AAUW Ohio.
AAUW Ohio Tours BeWISE Camp
Representatives and friends with AAUW – Ohio convened June 17th in New Concord to visit Be WISE Camp, a residential STEM based experience for middle school girls held yearly at Muskingum University. The group also toured the John and Annie Glenn Museum and is pictured in the living room of Glenn’s boyhood home in New Concord. JoAnn Benseler (red shirt, back row) and the AAUW Ohio Board created the first Be WISE Camp in 1989.
AAUW Ohio Spring Conference Offers Discussions on
Partnerships, Financial Stability for Women, and Why AAUW Matters
A group of dedicated AAUW members from throughout the state participated in AAUW Ohio’s Spring Conference, April 26, Worthington, Ohio.
A panel discussion, featuring Debbie Worbis, Middletown; Carrie Svigel, Northeast Ohio; Karen Armstrong, Wooster; Brooke Anderson, Worthington/Zanesvlle; and Deborah Wooldridge, Bowling Green.
Frequent presenter and political consultant Erin Czerniak shared ideas about creating community through partnerships. Her presentation can be found here.
The group also heard Kelly Griesmar, CEO and President of the Central Ohio Women’s Fund. She talked about their recent research into how women can break through the barriers that prevent them from building wealth and having freedom to make their own decisions. Read more about this research here.
Rush Coen Rogers, AAUW Ohio Vice President of Programming, and organizer of the conference, talked about the need for AAUW and the important role the organization plays in the life of women and girls.
Nancy Stellhorn, Past President and Bylaws Chair, reminded the attendees that updated bylaws are due on June 30, 2026. See the article immediately below for more details.
A highlight of the conference was the recognition of branches for achievement in communication, presented by Mickey Radtkin; diversity/equity/inclusion efforts, presented by DEI Chair Sally Dye; and the STARZ awards, presented by Past President/STARZ Chair JoAnn Beneseler.
STARZ Award Recipients
Bowling Green
Circleville
Heights-Hillcrest-Lyndhurst
Middletown
North East Ohio
Worthington
Youngstown
STARZ Honors Award Recipients
Cleveland
Springfield
Westerville
Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Award Recipients
Bowling Green
Circleville
Heights-Hillcrest-Lyndhurst
Middletown
Worthington
Youngstown
Communications Award Recipients
Bowling Green
Circleville
Cleveland
Heights-Hillcrest-Lyndhurst
Middletown
North East Ohio
Springfield
Worthington
Youngstown
AAUW Ohio Bylaws Change–
It was announced April 13, 2024 at the Annual Meeting that AAUW Ohio delegates had adopted an important change to our State Bylaws. Each State member can vote. The change replaces our branch delegate voting system. New Bylaws are posted on the Branch Resources page.
AAUW Affiliate Bylaws Changes. Your branch must make changes to your bylaws and submit them to connect@aauw.org by June 30, 2026. This seems like a long time, but why not do it now? It’s easy, using the new version of Affiliate Model Bylaws.
Join members of the AAUW Ohio Bylaws Committee for three short and to-the-point presentations on Bylaws. Zoom links are forthcoming.
1.Your Affiliate (Branch) Bylaws: What You Need to Know
Each affiliate must update bylaws by early 2026. We will offer easy tips.
Watch the video by clicking this link.
Passcode: ZV+CkGM4
Download the presentation here.
2. Bylaws: The Uncomplicated Rulebook
Bylaws are short and concise, acting as a rulebook for the operation of an affiliate.
Monday, February 24, 10 a.m., on Zoom
Nancy Stellhorn, Presenter
Watch the video by clicking this link.
Passcode: ZV+CkGM4
Download the presentation here.
3. Policy Books: How to Implement Bylaws
Confused about the differences between bylaws and policies? We can help.
Monday, March 3, 10 a.m., on Zoom
Carolyn Reams Smith, Presenter
Watch the video by clicking this link.
Meeting ID: 658 224 5163
Passcode: Aj3V*!28
Support AAUW and AAUW Ohio Through Donations
From Deborah Wooldridge, Vice President for Philanthropy
Gloria L. Blackwell, AAUW CEO, wrote that AAUW has been in this fight for a long time. Our strength comes from our collective voice, and together we will continue the work to support women’s education and economic empowerment. We can support women and move our agenda forward by making a gift to the AAUW Greatest Needs Fund or a strategic focus area as an AAUW Ohio Branch. Make the donation by Dec. 31. The funds at the national level are:
- AAUW Greatest Needs Fund (9110)
- Education & Training Fund (4450)
- Leadership Fund (4452)
- Economic Security Fund (4449)
- Governance and Sustainability (4451)
Go to: How to Support AAUW through Fundraising – AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
We must persist in making work spaces inclusive and free from discrimination, harassment, bias, and violence. We must keep our focus on gender equity. If you want to keep your funds local to Ohio, support Be Wise Camp. This women in science camp started in 1989 and has been sponsored by AAUW Ohio. The goal of the camp is to inspire middle school girls to love math and science. Through the past 36 years approximately 3000 girls have attended this camp. Thank you JoAnn Benseler for your vision and persistence through the years to have influence in the lives of girls. Go to Girls Camp | Be WISE Camp.
We will persist.
STARZ Recognition Checklist Now Online
AAUW branches choosing to participate in the STARZ Recognition Program can find the checklist in printable PDF on the AAUW Ohio website. This branch recognition was reinstated this year with JoAnn Benseler, who created the program, chairing the effort. Download the PDF by clicking this link.
Fall Summit 2024: Sharing Resources To Communicate and Connect
The sharing of resources among AAUW members from throughout Ohio was on the agenda Saturday, Sept. 28, at AAUW Ohio’s Fall Summit, held at All Saints Lutheran Church, Worthington, Ohio.
Rush Rogers, AAUW Ohio Program Chair, enlisted members for a panel discussion on how we communicate and connect through all levels of AAUW. She also engaged attendees with a webinar from aauw.org, “It’s My Vote: AAUW Priorities in the 2024 Election.”
Over lunch, AAUW colleagues who held the same office exchanged ideas and best practices.
Erin Czerniak, former AAUW Ohio public chair and a public policy enthuasiast/campaign adviser talked about the current election season, public policy and the Ohio State Legislature. She noted that “how we talk about the election matters” and shared data-informed messaging guidance from Galvanize Action. In particular, she talked about what’s resonating with voters this cycle. Read more about Erin’s presentation here.
AAUW Ohio Monthly 2024-25 Discussions
Books to Initiate Conversation and Thought
Join AAUW members from throughout Ohio in discussing important books that offer a chance to reflect on the stories of women — from a look at women’s heroism in World war II to a fictional account of nurses in Vietnam.
And we will look at how our stories change the way we live — through a book on the political power of black motherhood and another on the way trauma reshapes the body and brain. Find the list of books for 2024 and 2025 on our Books to Initiate Conversation and Thought page.
Statewide Annual Meeting and Convention Concludes
Members from across Ohio met April 13, 2024 at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio and online, in Convention, to discuss and to learn from AAUW’s Nancy Shoemaker Open Membership https://openupaauw.org/, Ohio State Senator Paula Hicks Hudson The Carrot and the Stick for Pay Equity in Ohio SB 232, SB 231. Why is Pay Equity Important, How to Stay Engaged and up to date; and Public Education by Toledo Public School Board Member Sheena Barnes. The morning concluded with a journaling exercise Narrative Healing.
Newly elected officers were announced and installed during the afternoon Annual Meeting. The Bylaws change to allow every member to vote and change the Voting Body required were adopted. Meet the officers for 2024-2026; view the branches that received awards for Model Branch, Communications, and Diversity. Follow the links above for more information.
Looking for Previous AAUW Ohio Statewide Programs?
Did you miss it? Read about it on the Statewide & District Events page. Listen and watch the video posted on the Statewide and District Events recap page.
Branches: See News about Bylaws Update and 990N
Branches should go to the Branch Corner page of this website for news about updating branch bylaws and filing your 990N.
News about Dues Payments
Most of our members have dues expiring June 30. When you receive notice that it’s time to pay, your FY24 national dues will be $72 and Ohio’s dues will be $11, for a total of $83. Add branch dues to be a member of your local group.
Branch treasurers who collect dues and submit them for their members should note: You must send an email to the Ohio finance officer, notifying her of all of your active Life Members and Honorary Members. Also remember, you may see State Leaders listed on your roster, please leave them there.
Find an AAUW Branch
Ohio Branches and their websites are listed on the Join page. Find one near you or Contact Us to join the Online Branch
News about Branch Events
Read what branches are doing on the Branch Events page. Fall book sales, book discussions, and programs for the year. Do you wonder how we found these? We looked on your website. Keep it up to date and your branch could be featured. We would like to hear more about your branch. Contact Us.
AAUW Condemns Escalating Federal Attacks on Higher Education, Civil Rights, and International Students
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association of University Women (AAUW) strongly condemns the Trump administration’s latest order restricting international student visas at Harvard University. This is not an isolated incident — it is part of a disturbing pattern of politically motivated attacks on higher education that disproportionately harm women, students of color, and international scholars.
“Policies like this betray America’s long-standing commitment to education as a tool for diplomacy, innovation, and equity,” said Gloria L. Blackwell, AAUW CEO. “We are proud to stand with international students and scholars — past, present, and future — whose voices and contributions make our academic institutions stronger.”
Since 1917, AAUW has supported women from around the world in pursuing graduate education in the United States through our International Fellowships program. Thousands of international scholars from more than 152 countries — many of them from countries now routinely targeted by restrictive immigration policies — have come to the U.S. to gain knowledge, contribute to research, and become global leaders in education, science, public policy, and more. These women have enriched American institutions, classrooms, and communities.
Among the recent political attacks on higher education include the abrupt cancellation of research grants, threats to Harvard University’s nonprofit status and Columbia University’s accreditation. We have also seen accusations at the state and federal level of institutions of supporting “illegal DEI”—a legally meaningless phrase used to attack programs that affirmatively support women and underrepresented communities.
The Trump administration has sought to weaponize Title IX, distorting its intent to punish colleges that foster inclusive learning environments. In a lesser-known move, the Department of Energy has issued a Direct Final Rule stripping anti-discrimination protections from its civil rights regulations — quietly rolling back decades of progress for women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color in federally funded programs.
These actions arrive alongside a sweeping budget reconciliation proposal — misleadingly called the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — that amounts to one big broken promise to students. The bill slashes federal student aid, including the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans and funding for campus-based childcare. Taken together with the visa restrictions and regulatory rollbacks, this bill underscores a deliberate effort to dismantle educational opportunity and civil rights protections from every angle.
“This is a coordinated campaign to punish institutions that promote inclusion, opportunity, and global collaboration,” said Gloria L. Blackwell, CEO of AAUW. “Restricting student visas, canceling research grants, and threatening universities’ nonprofit status are not acts of governance — they’re acts of political retaliation. And they jeopardize women’s contributions to innovation and progress in education and research.”
AAUW urges Congress, the higher education community, and civil rights advocates to push back forcefully against these political overreaches. Our nation’s future depends on higher education that is accessible, inclusive, and free from political interference.
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AAUW (American Association of University Women) is the nation’s leading organization for equity in higher education and women’s economic empowerment.
Founded in 1881 by women who defied society’s conventions by earning college degrees, AAUW has since worked to increase women’s access, opportunity, and equity in higher education through research, advocacy, and philanthropy of over $140 million, supporting thousands of women scholars. Learn more at aauw.org and follow us at @AAUW.
In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks an inclusive membership, workforce, leadership team, and board of directors. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geographical location, national origin, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.