Last week, AAUW fellowship and grant recipients, local alumnae, and selection panelists gathered at the AAUW national office for our annual spring luncheon. In addition to enjoying lunch and dessert, women across generations and professional and academic fields made connections with one another.
Sarah Weilant, a 2011–12 Career Development Grantee, and Diane Holt, a Career Development Grant selection panelist, bonded over their shared passion for international work while two women who earned their grants in 1978, Margaret Conover and Nancy Lubin, met for the first time after receiving their awards more than 30 years ago. Conover and Lubin joked about how times have changed — fellows can now receive notification of their awards via e-mail. Each woman had her own story about how she first discovered that she had been selected as an AAUW awardee. In 2011, Destiny Aman was shocked when she saw her name listed as an American Fellow. Aman, one of the most charismatic AAUW fellows I have met, explained how she read the list about 15 times in disbelief and asked her housemates whether it was for real. Needless to say, there was plenty of laughter in the room.
Aside from jokes about dissertations written on typewriters, we engaged in a valuable conversation about mentorship. Each attendee spoke of her realization that a single action is powerful. Ayana Johnson, a 2010–11 American Fellow, recently learned that a young woman from California chose to study marine biology at the University of California, San Diego, after seeing a poster of Johnson in a local airport. Johnson explained that the student saw this poster and said, “Well, she looks like me. I could be a marine biologist too.” These stories illustrate how small things can have a large impact. Aman, for example, said that the simple act of asking to assist in someone’s research gave her the opportunity to spend six weeks in Madagascar.
The luncheon allowed us to get to know fellowship and grant recipients on a more personal level. The awardees made connections with each other and with AAUW. Coming together to share experiences, network, and discover common bonds is an important part of the AAUW experience.
Please know that our doors are always open to any fellow or grantee who is visiting Washington, D.C.! Get in touch by e-mail or by calling 800/326-AAUW.
This post was written by AAUW Fellowships and Grants Intern Elyssa Shildneck.
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