AAUW is the nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Since our founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. Our commitment to our mission is reflected in all aspects of our work.
AAUW of Portland is an affiliate of the national organization and of AAUW of Oregon. Portland Branch collaborates actively and effectively with community organizations and local colleges and universities toward our mission.
MISSION: To advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. VISION: Equity for all. VALUES: Nonpartisan. Fact-based. Integrity. Inclusion and Intersectionality.
2024-2025 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Kathy Terman, Lisa Johnson, Rachelle Joy, Mara Faust, (not shown Marcie Merritt)
HISTORY
On November 28th, 1881, 17 college-educated women came together to find community. They had fought for and obtained higher education — not an easy feat at the time. Mentorship was unheard of, and women were hardly made to feel welcome at colleges, so they leaned on one another. Together these pioneers created the legacy of empowering women and girls that AAUW carries on today.
Portland Branch founder, Elizabeth Chapman Donald, was an 1895 graduate of Stanford University, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the San Francisco Branch of Association of College Alumnae (ACA). A professional social worker, she carried the vision of educated women making significant community contributions to Portland. She and a cohort of 12 like-minded women created the Portland Branch of ACA in 1905. In 1921, the ACA became the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Even though dubbed early on as the “garden club of the educated,” Portland’s AAUW continues today as one of the grand old ladies of women’s activism.
Portland AAUW Branch 110th Year Anniversary Celebration:
Click here to view the wonderful information presented at the 110th Year Anniversary of the founding of the Portland Branch. The anniversary celebration was held in October 2015 at the Historic Old Church.
Want to Know More About the History of the Portland AAUW Branch? Click here to read a brief history of Portland Branch founded in 1905.