The Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation was established to raise money and award scholarships to deserving local women pursuing a college education.  Each year we hold fundraising events to raise money for these scholarships. Last year, 2021 – 2022 we raised and awarded nearly $39,000 from the Authors Forum, donations made by members, and income from our endowment funds.  We are proud to share with you that our administrative and fundraising expenses were less than 2%.

We awarded twenty two $1,000 scholarships to young women graduating from each of our local public high schools, as well as one $2,000 scholarship to a student at Napa Valley College continuing on to a four year college or university program.  We also awarded a $2,900 Mary Lyons scholarship and a $2,000 Donna Connell scholarship.  And we sent nine middle school girls to Tech Trek campsl

Napa County Branch works with our local county public high schools and the Napa Valley College scholarship committees to review and select scholarship recipients. Students shouldOu apply for scholarships through their Napa County public high school or Napa Valley College scholarship committees. Students cannot apply directly to our branch for a scholarship.

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Our 2023 Authors Forum Fundraiser – With Vanessa Hua and Margo Candela

This year we were so happy to return to the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center for the Authors Forum.  This year we also offered a simultaneous Zoom event for those unable to attend in person! With the help of Vanessa Hua, Margo Candela and interviewers Naomi Chamblin and Karen Provenza from Napa Bookmine, we raised just over $28,000 between ticket sales and generous donations from members, friends, and our Angel donor!  We enjoyed the interview format and the opportunity for some Q&A with the authors, book signing, and of course the cookies and tea!

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Our 2022 Authors Forum Fundraiser – With Alka Joshi and Shobha Rao

Once again, we held our Authors Forum on Zoom.  Alka Joshi and Shobha Rao helped us raise a record amount, more than $28,000 for local scholarships.  Alka and Shobha were perfect together and provided a dynamic and thoughtful discussion. Thank you to both authors and to all our generous donors!

Our 2021 Authors Forum Fundraiser for local scholarships was another great success!

In the year of Covid 19, we didn’t know what would happen with our 9th annual Authors Forum. For the first time, we held a virtual event via Zoom. 132 members and others attended along with some complimentary tickets given to students and faculty. The pandemic’s silver lining was that we we were able to have an author outside of our usual geographic area. Julie Yocum suggested Sonia Purnell, the author of “A Woman of No Importance” and “Clementine” who lives in London, England. We invited her, and to our delight, she said yes!

A big thank you to: authors, Sonia Purnell and Julia Flynn Siler, who interviewed Sonia; Naomi Chamblin and her staff at Bookmine;  the Authors Forum book club led by Toby Mitchell, Julie Yocum, Pat Parker, Jeannie Whelan, Barb Thompson, Peggy Prescott, Barb Pahre, and Mary Ann Dawson; everyone who attended; and to our generous donors. This year, Covid and the virtual format notwithstanding, we raised almost $27,000, including donations, tickets sold, a portion of books bought at Bookmine, and our generous, anonymous donor who matched the donations.  You won’t want to miss our 10th Authors Forum!   Please join us!

Sonia Purnell (left) and Julia Flynn Siler (right).

 

Our 2020 Authors Forum Fundraiser for local scholarships – a great success!

We moved to a new venue in 2020 – the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. Its lobby was open and spacious allowing us to gather together before the event, during intermission, and after the event.  We all enjoyed the comfort of the theater and being able to see and hear the authors.  And meeting the authors for book signing.  We raised $26,307 from ticket sales and donations for local scholarships.

 

Thank you

The Authors Forum Book Group: Toby Mitchell, Mary Ann Dawson, Barb Pahre, Pat Parker, Peggy Prescott, Jeanie Whelan, and Julie Yocum
Presenters: Branch President Linda Feutz, Scholarship Foundation President Pat Bardwell, and Toby Mitchell
Napa Bookmine: Naomi Chamblin, Elayna Trucker, and Kelsey Fra-zier
Authors Dinner: Team lead Julie Yocum, Toby Mitchell, Barb Pah-re, Pat Parker, Peggy Prescott, Jeanie Whelan, Robert Yocum, Randy Hoyle, and Trader Joe’s
Cookies and Coffee: Team leads (and bakers) Jeanie Whelan and Barb Thompson; Bakers and others: Pat Bardwell, Brenda Collins, Claudia Hanna, Mary Kay Kaltreider, Pat Hitchcock, Kathy Martin, Melinda Dittman, Maryann Dawson, Portia Catania, Joan Feury, Kim Smith; and Christopher Lemley, Napa Valley College Food, Beverage, and Contracts Manager who provided us the coffee at no charge
Finances, Eventbrite, and Credit Card Donations: Toby Mitchell and Deb Kreutz
Hospitality: Team lead Aletha Silcox, Jeanne Narbut, Liz Groelle, and Anne Percelay
Membership Table: Juliet Spalding and Marsha Ewig
NV College Staff: – Matt Cowell, Technical Director, Samantha Maddox, Facilities Services, Keira Sullivan, and Loretta Long, Front House Supervisor
Photographers: Julie Yocum, Pat Parker, Toby Mitchell
Publicity and Authors Forum Programs: Pat Parker
Timekeeper: Barb Pahre
And a special thanks to Kay Altizer, who brought the AAUW banner despite being too sick to stay.

Our Endowment Funds

The Mary Lyon Scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing a degree in social work or studying social science.

Our Wishert-Umhalt-Grabenauer fund provides an annual donation to the AAUW Educational Fund, which is one of the world’s largest sources of funding for graduate women.

In 2017 we started a new endowment fund, with initial funds donated by the family of Donna Reid Connell.  We continue to build this into a self-sustaining fund capable of awarding an annual scholarship to a graduate of Napa Valley College.

To donate to our Scholarship Foundation any time during the year, please send your check, payable to Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation to PO Box 10407, Napa, CA 94581-2407.  If your donation is in honor of someone, please let us know the details so we can acknowledge your gift properly.  Your donation is tax deductible.  Thank you.

To donate online, click here.

Here is an easy way for the Scholarship Foundation to receive money.  Use the following link anytime you make a purchase through Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/68-0133579. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the Scholarship Foundation!

Scholarship recipients for 2020:

• Lylah Awad and Marisa Balades – American Canyon
• Angeli Aquino – Calistoga High School
• Yliana Perez and Jada Dunn – Napa High School
• Yessica Lopez  – New Technology High School
• Arlen Robledo-Rodgriguez– St. Helena High School
• Michaela Singh – Valley Oak High School
• Malia Cruz and Dyan Soriano Flores – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to each of the following Napa Valley College Students:  Zahra Asadollah, Frances Mejia and Sophia Cravea (Sophia’s scholarship was in honor of Donna Reid Connell).

We are continuing a $2,000 Mary Lyon Scholarship to Delia Gutierrez-Villagomez.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tech Trek was cancelled for this year.  Funds already sent for this year’s eight nominated campers will be used for next year’s Tech Trek.  The AAUW National Conference for College Women Student Leaders in Washington, DC, was cancelled also.  This year’s scholarship recipient, Aman Kaur, will go to next year’s conference.

Scholarship recipients for 2019:

• Alexus Jackson – American Canyon
• America Montanez – Calistoga High School
• Emma Healy – Napa High School
• Chelsea Pasqual – New Technology High School
• Athena Ky Leisching – St. Helena High School
• Rachel Lopez Perez – Valley Oak High School
• Maya Sapienza – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to each of the following Napa Valley College Students:
Cecilia Villegas and Esperanza Padilla (Esperanza’s scholarship was in honor of Donna Reid Connell)

We awarded a $2,000 Mary Lyon Scholarship a new recipient, Delia Gutierrez-Villagomez.
Please see your 2019 – 2020 Member Directory for the names of the eight Tech Trek Campers.

Scholarship recipients for 2018:

• Jessica Kei Moncada and Isabella Aquino – American Canyon
• Ana Valentin – Calistoga High School
• Stephanie Bautista and Hayden Oliver – Napa High School
• Paola Amezcua – New Technology High School
• Monserrat Romero Cuevas – St. Helena High School
• Amia Blanton – Valley Oak High School
• Madeline Beitz and Haley Veveiros – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to each of the following Napa Valley College Students:
Kelsey Hadfield and Jessica De Leon Topete (Jessica’s scholarship was in honor of Donna Reid Connell)

We increased the continuing Mary Lyon Scholarship to $2,000 for Jessica Bennett-Roberts.
Please see your 2018 – 2019 Member Directory for the names of the eight Tech Trek Campers.

2018 Authors Forum Fundraiser

Our 2018 Authors Forum Fundraiser event, benefiting the Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation, was held on Thursday, February 1, 2018. We raised more  than $23,000 for local scholarships.

Scholarship recipients for 2017:

• Akasha Stallworth and Natalie Moore – American Canyon
• Alma Esmeralda Arroyo Cortez – Calistoga High School
• Jori Herman and Alma Morales– Napa High School
• Katlin Peterson-Kiehl – New Technology High School
• Electra Mills Lyman – St. Helena High School
• Arizbeth Garcia – Valley Oak High School
• Brenna Eikenbary and Madison Perna – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to each of the following Napa Valley College Students:
Zoreen Mohammed and Andrea Ramirez (Andrea’s scholarship was in honor of Donna Reid Connell)

We continued the Mary Lyon Scholarship of $1,500 to Jessica Bennett-Roberts.
Please see your 2017 – 2018 Member Directory for the names of the eight Tech Trek Campers.

2017 Authors Forum Fundraiser

Our 2017 Authors Forum Fundraiser event, benefiting the Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation, was held on Thursday, February 2, 2017. We raised more  than $21,000 for local scholarships.

Scholarship recipients for 2016:

• Kayla Hughes and Joanne Calinog – American Canyon
• Kaory Verduzco – Calistoga High School
• Ashley Johnson and Yesenia Garcia – Napa High School
• Ariel Wodarcyk – New Technology High School
• Yaritza Lucia Cruz – St. Helena High School
• Layla Alkema – Valley Oak High School
• Kara Poon and Yazmin Dominguez – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to each of the following Napa Valley College Students:
Sarah Castorena and Ruth Gamez (Ruth’s scholarship was in honor of Donna Reid Connell)
Please see your 2016 – 2017 Member Directory for the names of the eight Tech Trek Campers.

2016 Authors Forum Fundraiser

Our 2016 Authors Forum Fundraiser event, benefiting the Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation, was held on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Napa. We raised over $17,000 for local scholarships.

Scholarship Recipients for 2015

1. • Monica Nguyen – American Canyon HIgh School
   • Stefani Lopez – Calistoga High School
   • Rose Ballantine – Napa High School
   • Sandra Correa Saenz – New Technology High School
   • Estefani Gomez Carrillo – St. Helena High School
   • Keila Goncalves – Valley Oak High School
   • Areli Hernandez – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to the following Napa Valley College Student:

1. • Julie Perkins

The Mary E. Lyon Scholarship Recipient of $1,500 for 2015:

1. • Jessica Bennett-Roberts

2015 Literary Loop Fundraiser

Our 2015 Literary Loop Fundraiser event, benefiting the Napa County AAUW Scholarship Foundation, was held on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Napa. We raised over $12,000 for local scholarships through ticket sales, donations, raffles, table decoration raffle and book sales.

Scholarship Recipients for 2014

We awarded $1000 scholarships to the following high school students:

• Jesha Le – American Canyon HIgh School
• Jasmine Pochini – Calistoga High School
• Emma Stevens – Napa High School
• Wei-Wern Ooi – New Technology High School
• Madeline Duckhorn – St. Helena High School
• Natalie Miller – Vintage High School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to the following Napa Valley College Student:

• Lucero Elena

The Mary E. Lyon Scholarship Recipient of $1,500 for 2014:

• Shontaine Brayton

2013-14 “Do It For The Girls, Again” Fundraiser

Thanks to all our generous donations for this fundraiser, our branch raised over $10,000 for local scholarships. Lucky winners of the 5 Napa gourmet restaurant gift certificates were Diane Gandara, Pat Hitchcock, Julie Yocum, Marlene Zimmerman and Sallyann Berendsen. A thank you, celebration brunch was held in May 2014 at the Hanna’s with many of our members attending.

2014 Literary Loop Fundraiser

Our 2014 Literary Loop Fundraiser event, benefiting the Napa County Branch AAUW Scholarship Foundation, was held on Thursday, February 6, 2014 at 6:30 pm at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Napa. We raised over $3,200 through ticket sales, raffles, table decoration raffle and book sales. The Tech Trek camp alumnae served refreshments. Nine Bay Area authors participated in lively discussions about their books with over 75 attendees. It was so successful we are already planning for next year. Put February 5, 2015 on your calendars!

Scholarship Recipients for 2013

We awarded $1000 scholarships to the following high school students:

• Linda Phorth – American Canyon HIgh School
• Betsy Lourdes Avila – Calistoga High School
• Kathryn Johnson – Napa High School
• Elizabeth Shown – New Tech High School
• Jessica Hernandez Bernal – St Helena High School
• Deanna May – Valley Oak High School
• Taylor Silleman – Vintage HIgh School

We awarded a $2,000 scholarship to the following Napa Valley College Student:

• Rachel Sturm

The Mary E. Lyon Scholarship Recipient for 2013:

• Shontaine Brayton

Scholarship Recipients for 2012

We awarded $1000 scholarships to the following high school students:

• Lauren Rudd – Vintage High School
• Emaya Chavez – Valley Oak High School
• Kristina Ericson – St. Helena High School
• Genesis Garibay – Calistoga High School
• Caela Brazelton – Napa High School
• Willow Newcomb – New Tech High School

We awarded $2,000 scholarships to the following Napa Valley College students:

• Shontaine Brayton (Mary Lyon Scholarship recipient)
• Tara Ledezma

Scholarship Recipients for 2011

We awarded $1000 scholarships to the following high school students:

• • Hannah Tiberend – Napa High School
  • Mary Lynn Williams – Vintage High School
  • Cristina Avina – St. Helena High School
  • Consuela Amezcua – New Tech High School
  • Lucero Jiminez – Calistoga High School

We awarded $2,000 scholarships to the following Napa Valley College students:

• • Elizabeth Corro
  • Karla Gomez

AAUW Funds

Each year our branch makes a contribution to the AAUW Funds’ Educational Opportunities Fund #4336.

This fund supports, just to name a few, fellowships and grants to women pursuing advanced degrees, participating in community action projects, and receiving career development grants.

For each $750 that is contributed, one person can be honored from our branch as an important contributor to the life of our branch. These people are also recognized in our membership directory.

2018 Honorees: Joy Barnes, Sherry Breitigam, Thelma Brown, Naomi Chamblin, Maureen Grinnell, Pat Hitchcock, Barbara Pahre, Evelyn Price, Linda Terry, Jan Wells, Martha Wise, Marie Wood
2017 Honorees: Joan Bailey, Pat Bardwell, Dorothy Brock, Teri Buchanan, Beverly-Daniels Greenberg, Sally Hunter, Betty Lieb, Kim Medlin, Pat O’Connor, The Arts Group, The Authors Forum Book Group, The Scholarship Angel
2016 Honorees: Sallyann Berendsen,Pat Parker, Mona Humpert, Toby Mitchell, Beth Bywater, Aletha Silcox, Marlene Zimmerman, and Kay Lewis.
2015 Honorees: Claudia Hanna, Sherry Hanson, Mary Kay Kaltreider, Bernice Sousa-Carden, The Table Volunteers, and John Gordon
2014 honorees: Jean Haight, Linda Dietiker-Yolo, Barb Pahre, Carole Keiner, and Ev Vogt
2013 honorees: Jean Haight and Joan Hildebrant
2012 honorees: Beth Bywater, Kim Smith and Julie Yocum

In October 2012, our Napa County Branch hosted an AAUW California Fellows luncheon. Three American Fellows, three Career Development Grant recipients and one Community Action Grant recipient were honored and spoke about the projects they were doing in their communities or the programs they were studying at California colleges and universities. It was an inspiring program and lots of fun in the organizing for our committee of 12 talented branch members. Here are some photos from the event. Click on the photos to enlarge and view captions.