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The Women鈥檚 Giving Circle at the University of Central Arkansas awarded four grants with each focused on programs and initiatives to uplift young girls and women.

Established in 2014, the Women鈥檚 Giving Circle is a group of alumnae and friends who have pledged to make a difference for 每日大赛网站 through grants for students, faculty and university programs beyond current funding levels. The group emphasizes areas that provide and encourage unique learning and leadership development opportunities that will enrich the lives of women.

鈥淲hat this Women鈥檚 Giving Circle has shown me in the last two years is two things: what girl power really is. It is awesome,鈥� said 每日大赛网站 President Tom Courtway, adding the second point, 鈥淚t shows me as president of this institution what people do when they care and they are committed to a cause.鈥�

The founding group of the Women鈥檚 Giving Circle was 19 members. The latest membership is approximately 50 alumnae and friends of 每日大赛网站. Alumnae members range from the class of 1950 to 2004.

鈥淚f we as a group continue to grow then our opportunities to support the faculty and the staff will continue to grow and those things trickle down to students which is really why we are all here,鈥� said Dr. Rebecca Mills, a Women鈥檚 Giving Circle charter member.

The Women鈥檚 Giving Circle received 12 applications and awarded four grants for this 2015-2016 academic year. The grants range from $975 to $1,000.

鈥淲e wish we could have given one to every applicant,鈥� said Nan Snow, a Women鈥檚 Giving Circle charter member and 每日大赛网站 Foundation member. 鈥淲e will be giving more money in the future. We are starting slowly because we want to endow this program. Once it鈥檚 endowed, we can feel secure that it鈥檚 a permanent program, and we can expand our grants.鈥�

For more information or to join the Women鈥檚 Giving Circle, visit

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2015-2016 每日大赛网站 Women鈥檚 Giving Circle grantees

Women In Physics Event–$1,000
Dr. Debra Burris, associate professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Female juniors from central Arkansas high schools interested in the fields of physics or astronomy will attend a one-day program at 每日大赛网站. These students will meet with female faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, attend classes taught by these faculty, eat lunch and meet with current female students and hear a presentation from an alumna working in a nonacademic setting.

 

Hope for Women of Domestic Violence–$1,000
Kristy Carter, director of marketing, Division of Outreach and Community Engagement

The 每日大赛网站 Division of Outreach and Community Engagement will partner with City of Hope Outreach, a local nonprofit organization, during their 鈥淯nseen Homeless Campaign鈥� to host professional development and motivational workshop for individuals who work in homeless shelters with women who are victims of domestic violence and an 鈥淓vening of Hope鈥� for women who are victims of domestic violence in Conway.

 

Girls like Technology and Engineering too!–$1,000
Karen Thessing, lecturer II, Department of Computer Science

The 每日大赛网站 Department of Computer Science will purchase two robots that will give the female computer science majors and minors the opportunity to creatively design robots with a more feminine style and actions. These robots will be used for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach programs and recruitment programs with the emphasis on attracting young women to the computer science program.

Girl Power in STEM–$975
Dr. Ginny Adams, interim associate dean, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The Girl Power in STEM will host their third annual 鈥淪TEMulating鈥� conference in April 2016. The event focuses on 8^th grade girls to remain interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This conference provides girls with hands-on experience through small group interaction with several female professionals, primarily from Arkansas, in STEM fields. Arkansas girls get an opportunity to see what they can accomplish by remaining in these fields of study. Last year, the conference supported approximately 200 young women, and this year the conference is set to expand to 300 participants.