Who We Are

Message from the President

President’s Message

March 2010

The yellow and purple crocuses are blooming today outside my home in flower beds that were covered with snow from the first of December until the middle of March.  These signs of spring give all of us hope of what we might be able to create or change in our communities or in countries throughout the world. 

Each day as your president I correspond by e-mail with members throughout the United States as well as members of other affiliates throughout the world who join with us through the International Federation of University Women.  Technologies such as e-mail and web-cams continue to make this a smaller world, but one in which everyone’s problems become our problems, too

If spring is eternal then it’s my hope for women to work together no matter where we live for solutions to issues bigger than we can undertake alone.  Women Graduates-USA’s program committee is putting together templates around 3 key issues.  They are the education of girls, the ratification of CEDAW, and the elimination of trafficking of women and children.  An e-mail blast will announce the posting to all our members.  These templates will give ideas on what you can do individually to take action as well as ideas to collaborate with other individuals or organizations.  None of these issues are unique to our organization.  But the college educations as well as life experiences that our members bring to these issues provides a solid base for decision making.  Any member will be able to add to these templates with additional ideas. 

Your board will be holding a board retreat in New York City in April.  At the Annual General meeting in Long Beach, California, last October participants were asked to provide a list of “dreams” for the organization.  These dreams will serve as the basis for an action plan for the next 3 years.  If you have input you would like to share, please contact us.  We want this to be “your” organization.

It meant planting bulbs last fall, so I can enjoy the beauty of flowers this spring.  So it is with Women Graduates-USA, we are planting ideas now for increased education, security, and justice for women and girls in the future.

Florine Swanson

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