AAUW State College recently received the Five-Star Chapter Award from AAUW National, recognizing the branch’s outstanding achievement across multiple categories.
“This designation highlights our commitment to AAUW’s mission of achieving equity for women and girls and reflects the hard work and dedication of our members over the past year,” the chapter wrote in a news release.
The AAUW Five-Star Program is designed to help branches align with the national organization’s strategic priorities and strengthen their impact. To earn the Five-Star recognition, chapters must meet criteria in five areas: advancement; public policy and advocacy; governance and sustainability; programming; and communications and external relations.
AAUW State College met or exceeded the benchmarks in all five categories this year, earning the full Five-Star recognition — a noteworthy accomplishment among AAUW branches nationally.
Some of the branch’s accomplishments include:
• Public Policy & Advocacy: AAUW State College is engaged in education policy, including a member traveling to Harrisburg to meet with legislators about school vouchers, participation in Lobby Day and publishing multiple op-eds and letters to the editor on public education and equity.
• Community Programs: The branch co-sponsored events focused on equity and inclusion, including the National Day of Racial Healing, the long-running Cultural Empowerment for Women Luncheon and the International Perspectives on Women in Society program featuring global educators.
• STEM Initiatives: Through programs like STEMPOWERED (hands-on plant science for 5th–6th grade girls in rural schools) and ENVISION STEM Career Day (100+ middle and high school students exploring STEM careers at Penn State), the branch invested in the next generation of women in science.
• Scholarships & Support for Women: In 2025, the branch awarded $18,000 in scholarships to women returning to college, funded five Penn State students to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) and supported girls attending Penn State’s Science-U camps.
• Fundraising & Community Impact: The 63rd Annual Used Book Sale drew nearly 7,800 shoppers and raised about $161,000, which funded all of the scholarships, local grants and community programs advancing equity for women and girls.
“The Five Star program fosters local branch initiatives enabling members to participate in shaping and advocating for state and national policies aimed at gender equity,” Linda Higginson, Five-Star Chapter Committee lead, said. “I am so proud that the State College Branch is recognized for its many initiatives supporting the national strategic plan during the past year.”
