Partnerships and Projects
AAUW of Utah has close working partnerships with several women’s organizations.
January, 2023
We coordinate with the League of Women Voters and the NAACP to present a legislative forum each January. The forum presents four Utah state legislators who are asked to present a preview of what that year’s legislative session might bring.
January 21st, 2023
We coordinate twice a year with Utah Women Run to provide training for women who would like to run for elected office.
During the Utah State Legislative session
AAUW participates in the weekly meetings of the Women’s State Legislative Council to keep abreast of legislation that affects women and children.
ERA Coalition of Utah
We are also involved in the ERA Coalition of Utah. The coalition keeps track of legislative policy that affects women and works for the ratification of the ERA, which is part of AAUW’s mission.
Projects
AAUW has a partnership with Westminster College to introduce middle school girls to STEM topics as well as a college campus and instructors during Science Saturdays.
STEM Education Programs
In search of a way to empower middle school girls to take advantage of their educational opportunities, three members of AAUW of Utah took an idea for a STEM program to Westminster College of Salt Lake City.
Together with the college the AAUW idea grew into a statewide program of STEM education for middle
school girls beginning in 2005 with a 4-day/3-overnight resident event called “AWE+SUM Camp” housed at
Westminster College. Attendance initially planned at 40 quickly increased to 70 campers eligible to
participate in the summer between their 7th and 8th grade school years. The camp was held annually in
June until 2020, when COVID-19 shut it down for two years.
In 2022 a re-imagined program called “Science Saturday” brought the STEM program back to Westminster College for an entire Saturday in September. The plan is to continue Science Saturdays annually for girls in 7 th and 8th grades. Hands-on activities exploring science, math, and technology in the college science building labs and classrooms are led by Westminster faculty and supported by Westminster student counselors and AAUW volunteers.
Attendance in 2022 was 40 girls from junior high and middle schools in the Salt Lake, Granite, and Murray
school districts.
Pictures of our last Science Saturday at Westminster
e-Smart Camp
A spin-off from the AWE+SUM Camp program began and has grown as “ e-Smart Camp,” located at Utah Tech University in St. George, UT. Educators from the school and AAUW St. George. Branch members are leaders and supporters of this program, which remains a resident 4-day/3-night event with hands-on science, math, and technology activities for girls in the greater St. George area of Utah.