...empowering women since 1946

Short-Term Volunteer Opportunity Serving on the Scholarship Committee

The Board is looking for two-three members to volunteer to serve on the Scholarship Committee. We have funds to award two $1500 scholarships to nontraditional Ferris students this year, and we need volunteers to review applications and select recipients. Serving on a scholarship committee is a gratifying and rewarding experience, and the work of the committee is a short-term time commitment.

Scholarship recipients are invited to our holiday dinner in December to receive their awards. Pictured at left is one of last year's recipients with immediate past President, Jennifer Cochran. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please email Leah at LeahMonger@ferris.edu by Monday, October 16.

Member Deirdre Fagan Receives

National Book Awards!

Congratulations to Deirdre Fagan for garnering national awards for her book, Find a Place for Me. In case you missed it, there was an article about Deirdre and the awards she has received for her work in the October 10 edition of the Pioneer.

According to the publisher, "Find a Place for Me is a memoir about facing a marriage’s last act—a spouse’s death—as a couple united in mind and holding hands.

Read the Pioneer article here

Deirdre and Bob are married eleven years and have two young children when forty-three-year-old Bob is diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. ALS determines the journey their marriage will now take, but Bob and Deirdre are resolute in how they will traverse their remaining months as a couple. Chronicling Bob’s illness, Find a Place for Me is also the love story of a happy marriage filled with humor, honesty, and essential conversations. In this moving, tragic, and surprisingly funny book, Deirdre and Bob raise a glass to love and the life each of them has left while learning how to lovingly say goodbye."

Branch T-Shirt Orders

Thank you, Kathi Parker for coordinating branch t-shirt orders! Kathi is trying to place the orders in time to receive them before our November meeting so we can wear them at the meeting. (Reminder to self: This will be a great photo opp for the group!) Payment is not required in advance. If you would like one or more shirts, email Kathi at kaparker51@gmail.com by this Friday, October 13, to place your order.

Shirts will be Oxford gray with the AAUW-Big Rapids red and blue logo on the left front pocket and a multi-colored list of AAUW values printed on the back.

See prices below. Shirts come in standard sizes, e.g. S, M, L, XL-3XL.

1. short sleeve t-shirt $20

2. long sleeve t-shirt $25

3. crew sweatshirt $30

4. hooded sweatshirt $36

Results of Member Survey

Thanks to everyone who completed the Member Survey! The Board will meet soon to analyze the information we've gleaned. If you are interested to see how others responded, click the button at left to download the compiled responses.

See Survey Responses

November 14 Meeting to be held at

Ferris' Museum of Sexist Objects

Tuesday, November 14, 6:00 mingle/6:30 museum tour

Tour of Museum of Sexist Objects

Starr 314, 901 S. State Street, Big Rapids

Take a walk through history and see the latest displays including the new BARBIE collection....over 80 Barbies!

Great guest opportunity!

Our tour guide is AAUW member, Dr. Tracy Busch, PhD, Professor of History & Director of MOSO

Education: PhD, Georgetown University, Russian and European History; BA, Vassar College,

Images from the Museum of Sexist Objects

AAUW-Big Rapids | AAUWBigRapids@gmail.com