Make plans now for the April 20-22 “Making Waves” Virginia State Conference in Newport News! “Making Waves” means rock the boat, create an impact, get out of the box, shake things up, and push the envelope. As we learn, confirm, and inspire, we’re going to do just that.
Rock the Boat. Our keynoter Lisa Maatz will tell us the many ways that we as AAUW in Virginia can rock the boat on issues of importance to us without falling out. She’ll get us revved up to rock that boat--gently but emphatically!
Create an Impact. We’ll get more women, especially younger women, to the polls with the strategies from the “Get Out the Vote” workshop. Women in Virginia need to have a real impact on the political scene, and this workshop shows us how.
Get Out of the Box: Frustrated because your branch isn’t growing? Doing the same things but they aren’t working? Get out of the box with new ideas at the “Sink or Swim: The Importance of Getting and Keeping Members” workshop.
Shake Things Up: Is your branch resisting setting up a webpage and using social media? The “Making Waves with Social Media” workshop will convince you to shake up the branch, tip toe into the 21st century, and learn how social media will actually help your branch.
Push the Envelope: Certainly our Woman of Achievement, Rita Dove, has pushed the envelope of American poetry. Who knew poetry could be so accessible, so easy, so related to our lives? And on Sunday Laura Puaca will tell us how she continues to push the envelope of women’s role in science.
So our weekend and this conference are devoted to helping us go out and make waves. Since 1881 AAUW has been an organization of action, of making waves. And you know what? It’s also lots of fun to jump in those waves. See your Virginia Vision for registration and hotel details, and come join us!
Ideally, every branch will be represented at this event!
Branch Public Policy Chairs and all interested AAUW members are encouraged to attend.
Come and learn about your state government and current issues. Become familiar with your state capital and the General Assembly buildings.
We will meet at the regular Wednesday morning Women’s Legislative Roundtable Session at:
8:30 - 9:30 on the 7th Floor West Conference Room,
General Assembly Building
Up-to-date information on the Roundtable can be found at the League of Women Voters’ website: http://virginia.va.lwvnet.org/calendar.html.
After the Roundtable session on Lobby Day, AAUW members will gather to learn about the agenda for the rest of the day which includes the following:
· A briefing on the bills of concern to AAUW,
· Visits with our individual legislators in the General Assembly,
· And lunch, at a location determined by the group.
Please attend this informative day and meet AAUW members from throughout the state!
To let them know you are coming, please contact: Laura Wimmer at lwimmeraauw@aol.com or 804-496-6124 or dianneblais@aol.com
Above: Dr. Christian Steinmetz served as our Emcee for the event. 
Above: Our keynote speaker was Dr. Kelsey Johnson, Assistant Professor at UVa and Astronomer at National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Above: Greg Dorsey gives students and families a tour of the observatory and explains how the giant telescope (once the largest in the nation) works!
