Category Archives: Programming

Invitation – New and prospective member Meet & Greets on Oct. 21

The Membership Team is excited to invite you to a Fall Meet & Greet on Tuesday, October 21st! Whether you are a new member looking to meet fellow members and board members, or a prospective member with questions about AAUW, we’d love to welcome you all and share more about who we are and what we do.

Join us for one of two in-person gatherings on Tuesday, October 21 for casual conversation over light treats and beverages:

10-11 AM – Nature’s Best Cafe, 1904 Brookdale Road, Naperville

5-6 PM – Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, 110 S. Washington St., Naperville

Click the link below to let us know you are coming, or email aauwnaper.mbr@gmail.com with questions.

RSVP for Meet & Greet

Building a Stronger Community Together – Nov. 13 Webinar

Save the date and watch for registration information for Building a Stronger Community Together, a virtual community webinar on Thursday, November 13, 2025, 7 – 8:30 PM CT via Zoom.

Join your neighbors for a non-partisan virtual event responding to the pivotal moment that our country is in. Together, we will explore the role we can play in the fight ahead. This conversation will focus on the nationwide civil liberties landscape and highlight state and local responses with a focus on immigration, education equity, and voting rights. This event is designed to bring together current supporters in the Chicago Western Suburban area while welcoming new voices to the movement.

Participants will hear directly from the ACLU of Illinois, local community members, and activists. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, connect with others, and take action to help build a stronger, more informed, and more engaged community.

Co-sponsors: AAUW Naperville Area, ACLU of Illinois, Alliance of Latinos Motivating Action in the Suburbs (ALMAS), Illinois National Organization of Women (NOW), National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), and Naperville Neighbors United.

2026 Great Decisions Discussion Groups Announcement

Are you interested in learning about and discussing U.S. foreign policy? Each year the Foreign Policy Association researches and presents Great Decisions study guides on eight international policy topics of importance to the United States. AAUW Naperville Area sponsors two Great Decisions discussion groups, AM and PM, that meet weekly from mid-January through mid-March.

How to Participate

Discussions are open to AAUW and community members. If you signed up for Great Decisions at a recent AAUW Naperville Area event, you are on our notification list for 2026. Anyone who participated in Great Decisions in the past also will remain on the list. Contact info for sign-ups.

Briefing Book Pre-Orders

On October 7 we will start taking orders for the Great Decisions Briefing Book and you will receive an email with details for ordering. The cost is approximately $29. We purchase books in bulk to receive a discount. If you don’t receive the pre-order email, please contact one of the group leaders, Liz Kruk, kruk5@att.net, or Becky Glimco, beckyglimco@gmail.com, to be included in the bulk order. You can also order a book directly from the Foreign Policy Association.

New Leader for AM Group

Welcome to Liz Kruk, the new coordinator for AAUW Naperville Area’s AM discussion group. And sincere thanks to Lee Eastman for her years of leadership.

More Info

AAUW Naperville Area Great Decisions groups and topics

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

The community is invited to attend American Healthcare: A Conversation with Rep. Lauren Underwood on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, at 7 PM CT.

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.

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

AAUW 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

Are You an Equity Warrior?

Are you an Equity Warrior? Maybe? Maybe Not?

Are you an AAUW member?
Are you signed up as a Two-Minute Activist through national AAUW?
Do you fill out witness slips for Illinois state legislation?
Have you attended a rally or protest?
Are you an active participant with I-Act?
Have you staffed a booth/info table for AAUW at a community event?
Do you represent our branch at coalition meetings?
Have you contacted your local state or national legislator by email, phone or letter and told them how you felt on a specific issue or legislation?

If you can answer YES to any of the above questions, then YOU qualify as an Equity Warrior!

Joining AAUW, or renewing your membership, demonstrates your commitment to our shared mission striving for equity for women and girls. But, you can easily go beyond that armchair support and help advance our goals. Your active participation is even more vital in today’s political climate where we see deliberate efforts to erode women’s rights to reproductive choice, higher education, and even something our foremothers fought so diligently for – what we always assumed was our basic right to vote. Adding your voice and presence to outreach efforts through our branch activities will make a difference. Whether you’re new to activism, or have skills to share, everyone is welcome.

Joining the Equity Warriors Autumn Kick Off event September 13 at the DuPage River Park is a great way to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with all the activities our branch offers – from social, educational, to advocacy. Attending programs, Book Browsers, Caff & Laff, Travel Talk, Great Decisions, playing bridge, or working the book sale are great ways to make new friends, have a social outlet and learn something new at the same time. By volunteering on a committee, whether I-Act (public policy), communications, book sale, scholarships, Vision 1948 (promoting women in tech) to name a few…you’ll get even deeper satisfaction and reward for the effort put forth.

We are always looking for new people to join planning teams, be trained for future leadership and board positions, help with marketing, social media, and more. If you are willing to give a little of your time, we will find the right spot for you! Please contact our President, Becky Glimco, at aauwnaper.pres@gmail.com and take your inner Equity Warrior to the next level!

2025-2026 Caff & Laff Meetup Schedule

Members 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

Generative AI for Everyone! In-Person April 8

Limited Seating – Register Now

Join us at Naper Blvd Library in Naperville on April 8 at 6:30 PM for an engaging session exploring Generative AI, its underlying technology, societal impacts, and the latest developments. Registration is required for this special program.

The Vision 1948 team will provide a basic introduction to how AI models generate text, images, and more, explaining key concepts like neural networks, and large language models. The information will be presented in a way that is easy to understand, without the need for any tech knowledge. We’ll also discuss the social and ethical implications of AI, including its influence on creativity, misinformation, and the future of work.

To bring these concepts to life, we’ll feature interactive demos before the presentation, showcasing real-time text and image generation and AI-assisted creativity, as well as games to test AI’s ability.

Vision 1948, a team of motivated women technologists, is dedicated to bringing gender parity back to tech. Vision 1948 is a partner of AAUW Naperville Area.

Casting a Historic Vote: Suffrage for Women in Illinois – Zoom Webinar March 19

Celebrate Women’s History Month with an intriguing look at the history of suffrage in Illinois! Register to attend Casting a Historic Vote: Suffrage for Women in Illinois with presenter Jeanne Schultz Angel on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Prior to 1920, women were denied the vote in the majority of elections in the United States. The struggle for enfranchisement began with the birth of our nation and was strategized differently in our local, state, and federal elections. Despite what people today believe to be a straightforward goal, the path to women’s suffrage was infused with sexism and racism and triggered a fear of feminism whose roots are still seen today.

This free community program is presented by the League of Women Voters of Naperville, and co-sponsored by AAUW Naperville Area and the National Council of Jewish Women-Chicago North Shore.

About the Presenter

Jeanne Schultz Angel, Naper Settlement

Jeanne Schultz Angel is the Director of Learning Experiences & Historical Resources for Naper Settlement. She is a nonprofit administrator and museum professional with more than 24 years working within cultural institutions. She holds a BA in Anthropology and an MA in History from Illinois State University.

Student Debt: Facts, Resources, and How to Avoid, virtual program, Feb. 11, 2025

AAUW Naperville Area invites you to Student Debt: Facts, Resources, and Ways to Avoid, a timely program on the impact of student debt, especially on women — and strategies to manage education funding. Our speaker, Dr. Linda Dagradi, is a college counseling graduate program instructor and senior enrollment services consultant.

The college enrollment decision process is a complex one. For many students, the issues of costs and funding resources are complicating factors that may limit their access to a college that fits their needs or to any college at all. Personally and professionally, Dr. Dagradi is committed to the ideals of equity and access to higher education. She believes that as a nation, we face serious challenges to access based on rising costs, increasingly needy students, and public policy that does not adequately prioritize funding for higher education.

About the Speaker

Dr. Linda Dagradi

Dr. Linda Dagradi currently works as an instructor in UCLA Extension’s College Counseling Certificate Program and as a Senior Enrollment Management Consultant with Higher Ed Strategies LLC. She has served as a financial aid services director or associate VP at four independent colleges: Elms College, Springfield College, Smith College, and American International College, and she worked as a regional educational manager for the College Board. She also spent several years working in and around public education, as a high school guidance director, training consultant, teacher, alternative school counselor, and community volunteer.

Dr. Dagradi holds an Ed.D. in Educational Research and Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a CAGS and M.Ed. in Counseling from Springfield (MA) College.