ADRIAN — A new branch of the American Association of University Women encompassing Adrian and the Irish Hills area is taking shape after a kickoff meeting took place at the Adrian Armory in mid-January.

Fifteen women and one man attended the Jan. 14 meeting to learn more about the AAUW from two representatives of the organization, Sheila Blair and Eva Habib. Blair, a past president of the state organization and its finance director, will serve as the Adrian-Irish Hills Branch president, while Habib is vice president for membership on the state level.

Several other AAUW members, including state president Amy Shamroe and Barb Duran, AAUW college/university liaison, were present via Zoom to talk about their experiences with the organization and explain what being a part of AAUW is about.

The AAUW previously had an Adrian branch, but that group has not been active for quite some time. The new Adrian-Irish Hills Branch represents the second Michigan one the organization has opened in the past year, the other being in Lansing. Nearby branches are in Jackson and Monroe.

The organization got its start in 1881 when Marion Talbot and Ellen Swallow Richards gathered a group of college alumnae to discuss the need for greater opportunities for college-educated women and for more women to have access to a college education.

That group grew to include more women, and in 1882 the Association of Collegiate Alumnae was founded. A merger between the ACA and the Southern Association of College Women in 1921 created the AAUW.

The AAUW’s mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy,  education and research. There are about 170,000 members nationwide.

Shamroe, who in addition to being the AAUWMI president is also mayor of Traverse City, told the group assembled at the Jan. 14 meeting that she got involved in politics thanks to being part of the AAUW.

Having the AAUW connection “gave me a really good sense of community,” she said, and becoming the organization’s public policy chair gave her the experience she needed in that area.

Shamroe said being a part of AAUW gives members the chance to “be the change you want to make” and to have opportunities to build community “and make our community stronger.”

Each branch decides for itself what it wants to support, Blair said, and the people who become part of the new Adrian-Irish Hills group “get to design what we want this branch to be.”

One of the unique things about Adrian, she added, is that for being a small city in a rural county, it is home to two four-year colleges. Duran’s presentation to the group via Zoom explained the benefits that higher education institutions receive by becoming members, including training tools and other resources, and explained that college students can join the organization at a reduced rate.

For regular members, national and state dues total $87 annually, with local branches setting their own additional dues. Student affiliate members can join for $18.81 national dues — honoring the organization’s year of founding — plus $5 state dues and whatever is set for branch dues.

As they advocate for issues involving women, such as equal pay, economic security, and educational opportunities, members receive a number of benefits of their own including discounts, career resources, and the chance to develop leadership skills.

Blair said that although all the paperwork is filed for the new branch to be a recognized nonprofit entity, for it to get off the ground it has to have a president, the role she is filling; a treasurer; and a secretary. This board has to be in place by the end of February. Other roles, such as a scholarship chair, a publicity chair, and a programs director, will also be needed.

One of the women present at the meeting, Susan Nichols, brought several friends with her so they could all learn more about the AAUW.

“I know that they are great advocates for women and girls and for people in general,” she said, and she was interested because of her long history of involvement with local women-focused groups including serving as president of 100 Women for Lenawee.

The lone man attending the meeting, Steve Liebrecht, and his wife, Selena, came at Blair’s invitation. Liebrecht said he was interested in order “to get to know people and to build community,” and that he and Selena, who own a rental spot in Adrian called Hidden Haven, “are focused on bringing people together.”

Retired Adrian College professor Sheri Bleam said after the event that she had already decided to join.

“I found this meeting inspirational and informative, and I consider [the AAUW] an opportunity to serve women in this community,” she said. 

Membership in AAUW is open to both women and men. Anyone interested in joining the new branch can contact Blair at 734-674-2246 or at [email protected].