Activities

Hastings to Host the 2024 AAUW Minnesota Annual Meeting

On April 26, 2024, AAUW MN board of directors and Hastings branch planning team will welcome everyone to the 95th Annual Meeting of AAUW MN. Five more years until our 100th celebration. Imagine what we will achieve in 5 more years especially for our future members. We are poised to celebrate achievements by individuals and our organization. We will be at the Confluence. Confluence is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “a coming or flowing together, meeting at one point.” Our Annual Meeting will be held in Hastings, Minnesota, at the Confluence of three rivers – The Mississippi, the Vermillion and the St. Croix. Each join together to create a powerful force as it flows through the center of the United States to its final destination.

For more information about the AAUW MN Annual Meeting, see the Spring 2024 Pine.

To register, fill out the 2024 Registration Form and mail with your $130 fee by March 31, 2024.

AAUW Hastings Branch Announces Scholarships for the 2024 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders

NCCWSL group

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Hastings Branch announces this exciting opportunity for Hastings-area female sophomore or junior college students to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL). The scholarships cover the cost of registration, room, board and flight! The conference is held May 30-June 1, 2024 in the DC Metro Area.

You will join hundreds of college women from around the country for two+ days of leadership training, inspiration, incredible speakers, awardees and networking. NCCWSL offers skill-building workshops and educational panels that are designed to challenge and inspire you to make an impact on your campus and in your community long after you leave the conference. This year’s event will include sessions on career development, mentorship, financial literacy, racial-justice activism and more. Participants will have an opportunity to explore post-graduate programs, careers in a variety of disciplines and other opportunities for their future. Nearly 500 colleges from 48 states have sent campus leaders to NCCWSL.

Workshops are divided among the following leadership objectives:

  • Leadership development: Develop and strengthen a leadership narrative through voice, skill set, and mind-set.
  • Professional development: Build a professional tool kit for postgraduate life.
  • Activism: Know the how, why, and when to take action.
  • Women’s issues: Gain a better understanding of issues and policies affecting women and of AAUW’s role in empowering women.
  • Identity and diversity: Own one’s personal identity and role in increasing and supporting diverse voices. women make their future what they want.

Read about last year’s scholarship recipient’s experience in Alexis’ NCCWSL testimonial!

Download and complete the AAUW Hastings Branch NCCWSL Application Form 2024 to apply. The deadline for completed applications is Thursday, March 15, 2024.

AAUW Hastings Joins ERA Rally Day at the Capitol

Hastings AAUW at ERA Day 2024The Red Wing bus picked us up at 9:00 AM at the old Green Mill and we were dropped off right in front of the Capitol. We took a photo of the group in front of the Capitol with our ERA YES signs.

Inside AAUW had a rally table with lots of
informative brochures. There were many AAUW members and Branch representatives there. The program started at 10:00 AM with speakers, all giving their best reasons for Minnesota to pass the ERA bill before the legislature this year and get the ratification vote on the 2026 ballot. It is a long process.

After the speakers, the members visited the legislators’ offices and left notes indicating that
AAUW members wanted the ERA bill to be taken up and passed. Shane Hudella and Judy
Seeberger are our representatives in the legislature.

Congratulations to Alexis Nordling, AAUW Hastings  NCCWSL Scholarship Recipient!

Alexis NordlingAlexis is the AAUW Hastings Branch 2023 NCCWSL (National Conference for College Women Student Leaders) scholarship recipient. Alexis is attending Dakota County Technical College, pursuing an Associate of Applied Science: MedicalCoding, and expects to graduate in 2024.

In Alexis’ definition of leadership, she wrote: “Once, I believed leadership was defined by titles or by the aspect of power, but experience taught me that leaders are more effective without the burden of apparent control. I hope to embody the model of the servant leader, one who may not appear to be leading but who nonetheless spearheads and guides the project. A leader is defined not by how they seem, but what they accomplish and how it was achieved. To lead well is to produce without exploitation, to delegate with consideration, and to offer opportunities for advancement to those that will lead next.” Alexis is very excited to attend NCCWSL!

Engage, Learn, and Lead: Step Into Your power!
NCCWSL is held at the University of Maryland, College Park, May 31–June 1, 2023.

For more information, visit the AAUW NCCWSL event website.

Read about Alexis’ experience in her NCCWSL testimonial!

AAUW Hastings Supports the National Initiative Work Smart

Are you career-ready? Transitioning jobs? Seeking a raise or promotion? Learn ways to negotiate higher wages using FREE online workshops

The AAUW (Hastings Branch American Association of University Women) encourages working women to take advantage of a great online opportunity titled “Work Smart”. Work Smart assists women negotiating higher wages and better benefits. No need to be an AAUW member. Just go to “Work Smart AAUW” and select “Work Smart and Start Smart”. Then, select “Take Online Course”. Register at the bottom of the “Sign Up” page. Once a password is acquired, the virtual workshops are easily accessible and can be used at your own pace. Lots of support and workbooks are provided at no cost.

AAUW is committed to eliminating the gender pay gap by 2030. By encouraging women to negotiate fair and equitable salaries, AAUW hopes to close the gap. Some topics addressed in the workshops are: curating your portfolio, negotiating a new job or job promotion, and understanding benefits packages. These workshops are designed to create confidence in women. Confidence to ask for what they are worth when negotiating with a potential or current employer. Give it a try.

AAUW Work Smart helps you negotiate your salary for a new job, raise, or promotion. CLICK HERE to access the FREE on-line training!