A message from AAUW - Iowa President,
 Janet Heineke

 What an opportunity!

 To be living at this time in history!

 

As members of an organization devoted to causes associated with equity for women and girls, this is a time of abundant opportunities of growth and development. It is true that the “causes” with which AAUW has been associated are discerned more subtly today; however it is also true that these causes have become more insistent. They call for our attention and our diligent efforts more than ever. They are certainly opportunities which we would not want to miss.

Membership in any organization is a matter of “giving and getting”. I have discovered, working within AAUW, that the individual often “gets” more than they “give”. Many contemporary writers are suggesting that we have become as a people more selfish, more concerned with the “getting” than the “giving,” However, on balance, it seems to me that Iowa AAUW members have given a great deal to their communities in the past year as they organized conferences for young women, raised funds for scholarships and for the Educational Foundation Program and for Legal Advocacy funds, initiated mentoring programs and a host of local activities as varied as the town in which the branches exist.

Through this distinguished organization, the AAUW, each of us can gain knowledge about current events, community issues and public affairs; we can “get” a strong sense of support and strength from our fellow members who generally care about these issues as much as we do; and we can “get” a sense of satisfaction about our membership in an organization known for its’ effective advocacy at a national level.

In  AAUW we, the members, can and often do give more than dollars for scholarships and fellowships.

• This year we can give insight and knowledge through learning about the issues which surround the focus of the Association’s national program emphasis “Education; the Gateway to Women’s economic Security”.

•  We can give careful attention to the public issues which are articulated in this election year and we can give our voiced to our opinions by voting in the coming elections, exercising a precious right, one envied around the world.

• We give our support, insight and opinions to the schools, colleges and universities of Iowa as they face the difficult problems in today’s world of education.

• We can give imagination and energy to addressing the structural problems faced by the AAUW in time of shrinking budgets and significant shifts in demography.

 In these gifts of knowledge, of insight, of imagination, of energy and of commitment we will indeed be able to meet the opportunities of the times. In doing so, we will be creating an exciting new future.