Helping hands: How AAUW State College advances equity, opportunity through community outreach
AAUW (American Association of University Women) State College is proud to serve as a cornerstone of community engagement in Centre County, working to educate and empower women and girls in our communities. Our outreach efforts span a range of programs and initiatives designed to foster education, equity, and opportunity.
STEM programs: Building pathways to success
Recognizing the underrepresentation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, AAUW State College sponsors a variety of programs aimed at sparking interest and achievement among girls. Last year, we awarded ten STEM grants totaling $28,000. Examples of programs that help inspire the next generation of innovators include:
The hands-on exploration of careers through GaLS (Girls Love Science) at Bellefonte Area Middle School
Skill-building at GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp at The Rivet-Discovery Space
Scholarships to Penn State Science-U summer camps that introduce children to science, technology, engineering, and math
Scholarships: Supporting lifelong learning
Additionally, we offer undergraduate scholarships to women resuming their studies after a significant break, helping them to complete their degrees. AAUW State College selects four recipients annually for undergraduate scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $7,000 depending on the financial need and circumstances of the recipients. Applications for 2025 scholarships are being accepted now through March 31 via our website.
Community action grants: Collaborating for impact
Through our Community Action Grants, AAUW State College funds programs that align with our goal of advancing equity for women and girls. With net proceeds from our 2024 Used Book Sale, we awarded $56,000 for programs of many local nonprofit organizations. The next application period reopens Sept. 1. Funded programs address areas such as health care, literacy, economic self-sufficiency, and self-esteem. These include:
Supporting self-sufficiency through Centre Helps programs providing financial literacy skills
Meeting women’s health needs through gynecological services at Centre Volunteers in Medicine
Building literacy skills through Mid-State Literacy Council
Raising self-esteem through the programs of Centre County Youth Service Bureau
Our financial engine: May 17-20 Used Book Sale
AAUW State College continues to raise money each year through our annual used book sale to award more grants and scholarships helping women and girls in our community. The sale — bit.ly/AAUWBookSale — will be held May 17-20 at the Penn State Snider Ag Arena. When you support this sale, you will help countless local women and girls, and their families, by fostering education, equity, and opportunity in our community.
Learn more about our funding initiatives, including criteria, programs funded, and applications at aauwstatecollege.org in the Community Outreach section.