WORDS: Shannon Evans
MAIN PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
“A college education will adversely affect a woman’s health and fertility.”
Wait. What?
In the late 1900s, women pursuing higher education battled against widely circulated myths like the one above. For women who had obtained a college degree, opportunities were scarce. But in 1881, a group of women rolled up their sleeves and decided change would begin with them.
It started with two: Marion Talbot, a forthcoming leader in higher education who became the Dean of the College of Women at the University of Chicago, and Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman to earn a degree in chemistry and someone who would go on to influence the teaching of home economics. Together, they harnessed one of the most powerful forces on earth: a gathering of like-minded women working together for a common cause.
Eventually, 15 alumnae from eight colleges met and asked two crucial questions: how could more women access higher education? And how could college-educated women not only knock on the door of opportunity but also enter through that door with their heads held high?
Within a year, that group of aspirational women grew fourfold and officially launched what would later be named the American Association of University Women (AAUW), an organization advocating for gender equity, women’s economic security, and equal opportunities in education and the workforce. Now, 140 years later, the AAUW has over 170,000 members and hundreds of branches across the U.S.—including two here in Manatee County.
In Manatee County, it started with Marjorie!
For many Manatee County residents, the name Marjorie Kinnan still resonates with a great many aspirational women. In 1951, this educator and advocate for civil and women’s rights moved to Bradenton and immediately began serving her new community. She launched the AAUW Manatee County branch in 1953 and later served on the school board for 16 years.
According to Dr. Merrie Lynn Parker – a member of the Manatee branch for over 50 years – Marjorie Kinnan was an advocate for many young girls in the area. She also strongly encouraged Dr. Parker to attend a meeting, where she “discovered inspiring mentors and amazing networking opportunities.” Today, the AAUW Manatee County branch continues its founding members’ work to provide opportunities for women and girls of all ages, with a particular focus on scholarships. A brief case study follows.
Scholarships: funding the future
Equal opportunities for women is a broad topic. At the national level, AAUW tackles issues like bias in education, the gender pay gap, and lack of gender diversity in leadership roles, all through its policy work. But it also boasts one of the world’s largest scholarship programs. For example, since its inception, it has granted over $135 million in fellowships and grants to individual scholars and organizations. Recipients include some of the most influential women in history, including the scientist Marie Curie and Judith Resnik, the second female astronaut in space.
AAUW’s Manatee branch proudly takes part in the granting of scholarships. When a former member left the branch an inheritance, current members invested the money, and later, the fund became a 501(c)(3). These days, it typically grants more than $10,000 a year to female college students and new high school graduates, and during the past ten years, the branch has provided high-achieving young women with over $275,000 in scholarships.
The essence of AAUW Manatee’s mission? Investment in the future. Each scholarship is not just about meeting financial needs. It’s a seed sown, a door opened—and it’s a message from one generation of women to the next: you have value. You have great things to do and much to offer the world. Let us help you get there.
A rising star: Bella’s story
Take scholarship recipient Bella Macias, who graduated from the University of Florida in 3.5 years with a degree in astrophysics. Soon, she’ll attend MIT for her Ph.D., focusing on planetary sciences—but first, she’ll spend three months at the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil studying jellyfish galaxies.
“I’ve dreamed of being an astrophysicist since I was in middle school,” Bella says. “People would say, ‘Oh, she’ll grow out of it.’ But I never did. I’d love to work for NASA one day.”
While participating in Unidos Now’s Future Leaders Academy, Bella often helped other students apply for scholarships. She came across AAUW’s scholarship program and applied for it herself.
“I fell in love with the ladies of AAUW,” Bella said. “It’s hard to find role models, especially for minority women in this field, but these women have been so supportive. Because of them, I graduated with no student loans.” Having seen the branch’s impact first-hand, Bella’s parents eventually joined the AAUW, too.
Women have come a long way in their pursuit of equal opportunities in higher education, but they still face many challenges. For example, when Bella tried to create a mentorship program at her college for women and minorities in astrophysics, she was told by a male colleague that her efforts were irrelevant because “women are not systematically disadvantaged in this field.”
“It’s 2024,” Bella noted, “You’d think we wouldn’t face these struggles, but we do.” Another challenge she has encountered is that after she presents at a conference, men often approach her display table. She expects them to ask about her work, but instead, they ask for her number.
“I tell the AAUW ladies: I move forward because I know I have their support, and I want them to be proud. They’ve invested in me and saw my potential, and nothing is going to stand in my way.”
Her advice for any young girls with similar ambitions? “Find mentors early on. Having that community around you is crucial. It can be uncomfortable to ask for help, but it’s worth it.”
Fundraising: a collaborative approach
It’s clear these scholarships make an impact. So, how else do they get funded? In March 2024, in collaboration with the AAUW Bradenton branch, the Manatee branch hosted a Scholarship Luncheon, which raised money and awareness of the issues women still face in education and the workplace.
The event welcomed guest speaker Cyn McCullough (RN, MSN), a former director of clinical services for HDR Architecture. “Men are promoted for their potential. Women are promoted for their achievements,” Cyn told the AAUW Manatee County branch’s 2023-24 president, Dr. Pat Eggleston. And those words hit hard.
“That’s often been the reality in my career and in many others’,” says Dr. Eggleston. “Years of hard work might be recognized with a promotion. But that’s the issue: it takes years.”
Tech Trek: a whole new world
Another major focus for AAUW’s Manatee County branch is Tech Trek, a week-long summer camp for girls entering eighth grade, themed around science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). At the camp, girls explore subjects like software development, climate change, chemistry, engineering, robotics, and more, with each year’s camp focusing on specific core courses.
“I loved my core course, Wearable Tech,” says one camper. “It combines coding and engineering with fashion—three of my favorite things.”
Tech Trek started in 1998 at Stanford University, and now over 20 camps operate across the U.S. Florida’s camps began in 2013 and take place at Stetson University and Florida Atlantic University—and, thanks to AAUW’s statewide fundraising, families pay only $50 for the camp.
AAUW Manatee branch member Jacqueline D’Alessio once served at Tech Trek as a dorm mother. “Some of these girls came from farm country and had never been in a science lab before,” she says. “It’s amazing how Tech Trek widens their horizons.”
One of the first campers the Manatee branch sent, Madison Burt, found her 2016 experience to be life changing. “It was so interesting—I got to extract DNA from strawberries—but more importantly, I found a strong female support group, networked with professionals, and discovered my passion for engineering. I’m incredibly grateful for the AAUW’s support.”
And that support is ongoing. Madison is now an AAUW scholarship recipient and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Florida.
Math Superstars: combating the stigma
AAUW Manatee County extends its reach into elementary schools, too. Twenty-five years ago, Marjorie Kinnan started Math Superstars, a math competition for fourth and fifth graders, which the branch continues to sponsor. Every year, elementary schools in Manatee County can send their top 2 mathematicians to take a test. At the event, the Manatee branch offers refreshments, networks with the student’s families, and grants the top four winners monetary prizes.
“The competition is open to everyone, but Marge Kinnan recognized the widely held (and erroneous) belief that girls can’t be good at math,” membership director Dr. Phyllis Omilak says. “She wanted to combat that stigma and encourage girls to excel in math. And that’s what we’re continuing to do.”
The work continues
The AAUW has achieved many victories for women, from its 1885 research report countering that myth about women’s fertility, to its present-day campaigns. But the inspiring members of the Manatee branch make it clear: there’s more work to do.
One example is the gender pay gap. Women make up over 50% of college graduates, and today, they’re entering fields that, 50 years ago, were deemed for men only. “The problem is that we’re still making 83% of what a man in the same job makes,” says Manatee County branch treasurer Vicki Waters.
Partly to blame is the “motherhood penalty,” as the national AAUW calls it: motherhood can often lower a woman’s earnings or earnings potential. Plus, women sometimes have more trouble than men when negotiating pay. AAUW combats that issue with Work Smart & Start Smart, an online course teaching salary negotiation—and the Manatee branch joined in. In 2019, they held a consortium with the Cross College Alliance, which invited women to a salary negotiation workshop.
Slowly and steadily, these local AAUW branches create change. But their members won’t stop at a job half done.
“Our scholarship winners have opportunities in fields we could never have dreamed of—and yet they’re still not treated equitably,” member Dr. Merrie Lynn Parker says. “I hope we can engage younger women to get involved in this work. Yes, they have advantages their mothers and grandmothers never had. But they can’t settle, thinking they’ve arrived. They still have a long way to go.”
How can you get involved?
- Apply for a scholarship. The Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) currently stewards AAUW’s funds, so applicants are encouraged to view the requirements on MCF’s website and apply. Visit https://manateecf.org.
- Donate online at https://manatee-fl.aauw.net or send donations to AAUW Manatee County Branch Scholarship Foundation, PO Box 1694, Bradenton, FL 34206-1694. To support Tech Trek, make checks payable to AAUW Florida Supporting Foundation, Inc., and send to Tech Trek, PO Box 126, Palm City, FL 33991.
- Join the AAUW. Membership is open to all graduates holding an associate (or equivalent) or higher degree from a qualified institution. Manatee County branch meetings are held at 11 a.m. every second Saturday September through May. Contact Dr. Phyllis Omilak of the Manatee County branch at omilakp@gmail.com, or the Bradenton branch at aauwbradentonbranch@gmail.com.
- Learn more about AAUW at https://www.aauw.org.
