American Association of University Women, Redlands Branch
Founded in 1947, the Redlands Branch of AAUW is dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls through education, empowerment, and advocacy.
We host monthly AAUW branch meetings to enjoy a meal, fellowship, and interesting programs at the University of Redlands. Come as a guest to learn about membership.
Members participate as much or as little as they like. Find activities our calendar including:
- FilmFest for an evening of film and food on Friday, April 25th.
- Fun Interest Groups including book clubs, games, hiking, sewing, discussion groups and more!
- STEM Conferences for local 8th-grade girls
- Supporting local women and girls with Nancy Yowell Memorial Scholarships and Tech Trek camp
- AAUW Funds: Educational Opportunities, Legal Advocacy, and Public Policy
- Community Engagement
Applications are now open until February 28, 2025 for our Nancy Yowell Memorial Scholarships awarded to local women who have had their college education interrupted and are now returning to earn a degree.

Heather Abushanab
A Message from the President
Last month our STEM Initiatives team held their first of two STEM Conferences for 8th grade girls, this one at Mt. San Jacinto College. Their attention is now turning to the University of Redlands STEM Conference to be held on March 4 and to the selection process for awarding our Tech Trek Scholarships for summer 2025.
These STEM activities are incredibly important to the lives of girls in our area and require significant time, effort, and money to carry out. STEM Initiatives is one of our most important branch mission projects, so it is important that all branch members know about the vital work being done in this area, as well as the challenges that exist and the goals that are in place for the future. As part of our Strategic Plan adopted in December, STEM Initiatives is striving to ensure the long-term sustainability of these programs by developing continuing and new leadership in this area and securing on going funding for these programs. The STEM Initiatives group will be documenting the various jobs that are critical to their success so that newer members can take on some of these tasks with confidence and support.
Over the summer as part of our bylaws review, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of restoring the STEM Initiatives Chair as an elected board position. Several years ago, when this was a voting board position, it was common practice for the STEM chair to serve two years and then the nominating committee would help to find a new chair for the next period of time. When our bylaws were changed, the nominating committee no longer helped to find a replacement chair. Kathryn Brown served as STEM chair through Covid, when it was important to have leadership continuity for the program. She did an amazing job keeping our programs not only alive during that time, but actually vibrant and exciting. Now that the crisis is over, she has served well beyond the traditional two years at the top and is ready to take on new challenges for the branch. Whether STEM chair returns as a voting board member or continues as a non-voting board major program chair, Kathryn cannot serve in this role next year when she will be co-president of the branch.
Our Tech Trek offerings have grown over the last five years under the leadership of Denise Wescott with the support of the STEM Initiatives crew. We strive to send as many 7th grade girls from our area as possible to this life impacting program. Denise works with schools in Redlands, Banning and Beaumont to identify good candidates, interview and select the very best, interact with state leadership to secure spots for our girls, register them properly and ensure they have the best experience possible. The program costs our branch over $1000 for each girl, but the money is well spent indeed.
For many years, Kate Pretorious has helped to find funding sources for all our STEM Initiatives. She is now also working with the branch fundraising team to help us have a more comprehensive and integrated approach to fundraising for all the branch mission projects.
Some AAUW CA branches extend their Tech Trekkers’ experiences through a branch Tech Trek alumni group. We have enough Tech Trek alumni from our branch that the potential for such a group is high, and there is support from AAUW CA on how to create and sustain such a group, but we don’t yet have someone who wants to take on this project. Perhaps in a year or two, an alumni Tech Trek program can be added to our Strategic Plan goals for STEM Initiatives.
Kathryn, Denise and Kate along with many others in our branch have contributed so much to the STEM Initiatives programs. Pam Ford and Betsy Grimes headed the MSJC STEM Conference this year. Donita Remington is assisting Denise with Tech Trek and our fundraising team has several enthusiastic members.
Additional leadership in all these areas is welcome and vital. Please let Kathryn know if you are ready to increase your involvement in STEM Initiatives and help us develop the leadership pipeline needed to secure these mission projects for the future!
Heather Abushanab
President, AAUW Redlands Branch
Learn More About AAUW
If you are interested in joining AAUW, or have questions, please contact us at Membership@AAUWRedlands.org. You can dowload our 2024-2025 Membership Form or complete one at a branch meeting.