Study Group News

What are Study Groups?

Study groups provide an opportunity for members to grow intellectually and creatively, broaden their involvement in topics of interest, become agents for intelligent community action and meet people who share similar interests. Please note: anyone is always welcome to attend any of these groups – no strings attached! Drop in, & bring a friend, to experience fellowship and the pleasures of lifelong learning. See contacts for all study groups at the end of this page.

AAUW In Action (AIA) …

Next meeting: Thursday, Feb 15, 6:30pm, via Zoom, Contact Erica for the link.
Note: While our winter meetings are by Zoom, we’ll be meeting again in person soon. We invite new members to join us and get in on the fun and action!!

AAUW in Action (AIA) is a study group that serves as a spring-board for community service activities for our branch that promote AAUW’s mission. If you’re interested in joining us for a meeting, or just knowing what we’re planning, please ask to be on our email list: Erica at moogs56@hotmail.com

We are working on plans for celebrating Women’s History Month in March. International Women’s Day panel is Tues, March 5 at UWL Student Union, Bluffs Room. Door open at 5pm to visit organization tables and the program will be 5:30- 7pm. FREE admission and FREE parking in lot C12. More information next month in the newsletter and on our website.

Annie is coordinating with other local organizations to see if we can co-sponsor and support each other’s programs and events. She is also planning a local woman author talk or two at Pearl Street Books.

Lois and Liza Gilbert are working on the biographies of women around the 2024 theme Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. We hope to continue the tradition of having
these printed in the La Crosse Tribune all month; we’ll also be posting them on our social media and reaching out to other media outlets to try and increase the number of people who can read them.

• International Women’s Day, mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 8 for this annual event. More information in the next newsletter. We’ll be doing a collection at the International Women’s Day event for that.

• AAUW WI response to the UW System regents vote to accept the WI legislature’s offer to release funds if they agreed to cut DEI positions is on-going. A statement was drafted, got tabled and will be picked up in the new year. It will now be a position statement that we hope you will share on your social media.

Read more on AIA – Click Here

 

STEM Committee

Contact;  Annie Allen-Wyman, Chair. (608) 514-2871 or therosyorb@gmail.com

PARTNERS in STEM

Our local AAUW branch partners with school districts and higher education to promote access to opportunities related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. Women and people of color are under-represented in STEM careers, partly due to lack of access and partly due to a lack of mentors. AAUW members can serve as mentors, telling young people about STEM educational opportunities and STEM jobs in our area.

UW-La Crosse faculty help high school students engage in original research at Junior Science and Humanities Symposium every spring, and host STEM camp for elementary students in the summer.
At the child care center, a curriculum section called Loose Parts included these activities (Share! Try them!):

  • If you have a mirror that can be laid flat on a table or the floor, put it down and add some Legos, blocks, wooden spoons, or bits of nature to build with and explore reflections at the same time.
  • Buttons, rubber bands, shoe boxes, Tupperware with no matching lid, serving spoons…empty out the junk drawer and watch your child go to work!Western Technical College offers students, in September and January, a chance to explore programs and talk to instructors.
    The event features STEM jobs like these, that you can study at WTC:
  • Electronic & Computer Engineering
  • Healthcare Technology Management
  • IT – Computer Support Specialist, Web and Software Developer,Cyber Security
  • Mechatronic & Robotic Engineering TechnologyViterbo has its own STEM department — and there’s a department Facebookpage! Courseofferingsincludeappliedmathematicsand analytics, biochemistry, biology, computer science, engineering, and neuroscience.Viterbo supports STEM professional development with additional opportunities:
  • The latest scientific and mathematical techniques and methods within cross-disciplinary programs.
  • Preparation for a broad range of careers—medical professions, graduate school, government and private sector research, and teaching.
  • Opportunities to conduct undergraduate research with a faculty mentor in research projects, many of which are at the interface of biology, chemistry, engineering, and math.

Who Can Be A Scientist?

More on Stem: click here

 

HEARTH & HOME 

On February 16th, we will meet for lunch at Fork and Fable on 16th and Jackson at 11:30 a.m. Following lunch, we will tour the Chapel at St. Rose Convent .

Hearth and Home meets on the third Friday of each month. Everyone is invited to join us. Contact Sharon DeCicco at 608- 452-4571 or at sharon.decicco@gmail.com.

SCHOLARSHIP BRIDGE/CARD GAMES

If you, or you and a partner, male or female, would like to play with either a women’s or couples group, please contact Sharon DeCicco or Jack Hasse at 507-313-1128.

 

“SANE” – Salient and Newsworthy Events.
Exploring ways to make our community and world better by addressing issues – Click Here

 

Small Group Contacts

AAUW IN ACTION (AIA)
Contact: Erica Koonmen, moogs56@hotmail.com

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI)
Contact: June Reinert, 608-461-1109, reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu

CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS
3rd Tuesday of the month at 2pm. Contact: Alice Ross, 788-4206

SCHOLARSHIP BRIDGE/CARD GAMES
Contact: Sharon DeCicco, 608-452-4571 sharon.decicco@gmail.com

STEM
Contact: Annie Allen-Wyman 608-514-2871, therosyorb@gmail.com

WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN GLOBALLY
Joint partnership group with Viterbo and UWL
Contact: Erica Koonmen, moogs56@hotmail.com