Category Archives: Announcements

Start the AAUW Naperville Area year at Equity Warriors Autumn Kickoff!

Two women holding signs at civil rights rally; announcement for Equity Warriors event on September 13, 2025AAUW members and potential members — you are invited to join AAUW Naperville Area for an engaging morning Sat., Sept. 13, 9:30 – 11:30 AM at the DuPage River Park Picnic Shelter (south side of Royce Road – look for the farm silo). 

Get ready to connect with like-minded individuals who are passionate about promoting equity for all women and ensuring that education remains a powerful path to equity and opportunity. Bring your rally poster examples and ideas — we’re making posters so we’ll all be ready for the next rally!

This in-person event is a great opportunity to learn about AAUW, network, share ideas, and get inspired to make a difference. Morning refreshments and beverages will be served.

Please RSVP by September 9, 2025, 5 PM.

RSVP for Equity Warriors

Join us for a conversation on healthcare with Rep. Lauren Underwood on Oct. 6

U.S. Congressional Representative Lauren Underwood, IllinoisThe community is invited to attend American Healthcare: A Conversation with Rep. Lauren Underwood on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, at 7 PM CST. 

AAUW (American Association of University Women) Naperville Area and Aurora Area branches are pleased to present this informative and timely webinar with Rep. Underwood, 14th District of Illinois. As a healthcare professional and policymaker, Rep. Underwood is a passionate advocate for effective healthcare.

Register for Link

2025-2026 Caff & Laff Meetup Schedule

Small group of women drinking coffee and smilingMembers and potential members are invited to AAUW Naperville Area’s Caff & Laff — an excellent opportunity to meet other members on a weekday morning in a casual and social setting. Caff & Laff will meet from 10:30-11:45 AM on the first Thursdays of most months at different cafes and parks.

Our meetups at local cafes help us to support small businesses in town. Stop by and have a morning coffee with other members of AAUW. No RSVP necessary. To receive schedule updates and reminders, contact Estela.

Sept. 4, 2025 – Jaycees Park, 401 S. Webster St., Naperville
Oct. 2, 2025 – Peet’s Coffee, 686 E. Ogden Avenue, Naperville
Nov. 6, 2025 – Arwa Yemeni Coffee, 3124 Illinois Rte 59, Ste 118, Naperville (near 95th Street)
Dec. 4, 2025 – Sugar Milk Cafe, 1250 W. Ogden Ave., Naperville
Jan. 8, 2026 – Blackberry Market, 192 W. Gartner Rd. Ste 104, Naperville (near Trader Joe’s)
Feb. 5, 2026 – Nature’s Best Cafe, 1904 Brookdale Rd., Suite 104, Naperville
March 5, 2026 – Sweetwater’s Coffee and Tea, 110 S. Washington, Naperville
April 2, 2026 – Blackberry Market, 192 W. Gartner Rd. Ste 104, Naperville (near Trader Joe’s)
May 7, 2026 – Sugar Milk Cafe, 1250 W. Ogden Ave., Naperville
June 4, 2026 – Jaycees Park, 401 S. Webster St., Naperville

Call for bridge players! Learn to play with AAUW Naperville Area

Fanned playing cards with AAUW Naperville Area logo and "Social Bridge" titleAAUW Naperville Area Bridge, a popular Branch fundraiser, is kicking off a new season led by new group leader Jody Bonneau. Interested in playing social bridge but not sure how to play? Learn to play bridge in just four lessons!

For anyone who loves games, this is a great opportunity. Open for free to AAUW members and just $40 for non-members, your instructors, Kathy Kalina and Jody Bonneau, will set times for the four lessons to accommodate your schedule. Lessons will be held in September so those attending also are able to join the AAUW social bridge group flights starting in October. Please contact Jody Bonneau at 630.877.5378 or Jody.bonneau@gmail.com.

The Branch thanks and recognizes outgoing leader Sharon Doeseckle for organizing many years of successful bridge flights — contributing funding to help the Branch fulfill its mission of advocacy for women and girls.

AAUW National Fellowship & Grant applications now open

Since 1888, AAUW has been one of the largest funders of women’s graduate education, investing in women who go on to change the world. Each year, AAUW provides millions in funding to support women pursuing academic, research, and professional opportunities that advance equity for women and girls. From graduate education to community-based projects, AAUW awards empower changemakers at every level. Spread the word, applications close September 30!

Encourage eligible students, scholars, and community leaders to apply today.

Afsha Naaz receives 2025 AAUW Naperville Area STEM scholarship

Afsha Naaz, portrait

Afsha Naaz

Afsha Naaz is a dedicated healthcare professional and nursing student at Rasmussen University, pursuing an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. After caring for her late father-in-law, Afsha was inspired to advance her education. She pursues her academic and professional goals with determination while balancing work, school, and family. Her long-term goal is to become an RN and earn an MSN, emphasizing critical care and community health. She is passionate about advancing equitable healthcare and expanding access to quality care in diverse communities. She hopes to mentor other non-traditional students pursuing careers in STEM-related fields.

Thank you for joining us for “Good Trouble Lives On”

 

        

 

The same spirit that fueled Selma, Montgomery, and the March on Washington lives on in our unified action! This is our moment to carry the torch and continue the legacy of John Lewis.

 

Thank you for joining us on July 17th for Good Trouble Lives On, a National Day of Action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change.

 

We are grateful to the 600 people who joined the AAUW Naperville Area Branch and our Allies to honor the legacy of Congressman John Lewis and stand up for democracy and civil rights. This was an awesome example of a peaceful gathering. We also thank the Naperville Police Department who provided ample but unobtrusive assistance throughout the event. We are proud to be part of a community that can exercise free speech peacefully and respectfully.

 

Organized by League of Women Voters Naperville, AAUW Naperville Area, IL NOW, IL National Council of Jewish Women

Thank you! 2025 Used Book & Media Sale Wrap-Up

Thousands of books arranged in categories on tables in a school gymnasium. Dozens of shoppers browsing and selecting books.

Thank you for making the 2025 AAUW Naperville Area Used Book & Media Sale a success! Sale chairs Kath Camasto and Anne Swanson organized a fantastic event. They even pivoted to move the whole event to a new location with only four weeks’ notice.

An event like this takes a community. Special thanks to:

  • Anderson’s Bookshop
  • Community donors
  • First Look shoppers
  • Knox Presbyterian Church
  • Naperville School Dist. 203 staff
  • Open Books, Chicago
  • Sourcebooks
  • Student workers
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Ultimate Treasures
  • Volunteers

The sale raised funds for research, education (scholarships, fellowships) and advocacy for women and girls. In addition, educators received special discounts on Educators’ Appreciation Night, and charities received hundreds of boxes of free books at the end of the sale.

Rebecca Malotke-Meslin is AAUW Naperville Area 2025 Woman of the Year

Head shot of Rebecca Malotke-Meslin wearing red-framed eyeglasses

Rebecca Malotke-Meslin

AAUW Naperville Area is pleased to name Rebecca Malotke-Meslin as 2025 Woman of the Year for her life’s work dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls through education, advocacy, and leadership development.

From her early work with girls in foster care, through Girl Scouts, to her academic background in Women’s Studies, Rebecca has remained focused on creating opportunities for women to thrive. Her commitment to community, equity, and uplifting women is unwavering.

Rebecca founded Pleasantly Aggressive (www.pleasantlyaggreesive.com) in 2022 to provide one-on-one coaching to early and mid-career women leaders in schools and non-profits. She helps them gain valuable leadership skills, rediscover their authentic voice, and build the confidence they need to achieve their goals.

Rebecca provides workshops and keynote speeches to audiences from local high school students to national women’s conferences. She combines her background in social research with 20 years of sales, marketing, communications, and school leadership to tackle topics like dismantling bias, building confidence, and advocating courageously. Her work inspires real action: participants have gone on to successfully negotiate raises, navigate challenging professional conversations, and change the trajectory of their careers.

A Naperville resident for 13 years, Rebecca embodies community service and civic engagement. She ran for Naperville City Council in 2023, championing equity, affordable housing, and representation for all. She currently serves on the DEI Advisory Committee for the DuPage Children’s Museum and the board of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. Rebecca also fosters connection and growth by creating women-only spaces like her local bowling league, a Women’s Entrepreneur Meetup, and IVY, a Naperville-based conference she created to support women’s health, relationships, and careers. Through her podcast Confidently You: Women in Leadership, she amplifies the voices of women leading in education.

Rebecca will be honored at the AAUW Spring Awards Brunch on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Bolingbrook  Country Club.