AAUW-Las Cruces turns 100 years old this month

With a mission “to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy” and many good works accomplished, the American Association of University Women-Las Cruces Branch (AAUW-LC) turns 100 years old June 25.

“The 100th birthday of AAUW-LC allows our members to reflect on the vibrant history of our organization and the impact we have had on the Las Cruces community,” said AAUW-LC President Anne Chase. “We proudly continue the legacy of those women who came before us.” 

“Preparing for this 100th birthday celebration has been both exciting and challenging, said AAUWLC Centennial Celebration Committee Chair Ruth Jaure. “We have much to celebrate but it is difficult to choose the most important highlights of our very active history. The exciting part has been to see the continuation of important work started years ago, in which we still participate.”

AAUW’s national headquarters in Washington D.C. The state organization has branches in eight cities. At nearly 90 members, Las Cruces has the largest – and the oldest – AAUW branch in New Mexico. It was formally recognized as an AAUW affiliate June 25, 1923. The local branch meets on the second Saturday of the month, September-June, at the Doña Ana Community College Workforce Development Center, 2345 Nevada Ave.

Branch history

Mary Lizzy Curtis Foster was a founding member of AAUW-LC and its first president. She was married to Luther Foster, who was the fifth president of the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (NMCAMA), 1901-08, which became NMSU. Mrs. Foster was a teacher, poet and author. Her autobiography is entitled “Pioneer Girl.”

Records show AAUW-LC had 38 members in 1932-33. It led the way for other branches to be accepted into the national network, including Albuquerque (1927), Carlsbad (1928), Santa Fe (1933) and Roswell.

AAUW-LC sponsored hot lunches for children attending Booking T. Washington School in Las Cruces 1941-48.

During the World War II years of 1942-45, AAUW-LC members worked in Red Cross surgical dressing rooms, on war bond drives and relief drives as well as helping with parties for servicemen stationed in the area.

One of AAWU-LC’s early initiatives was to get a woman appointed to the NMCAMA Board of Regents. That happened in August 1954 Mrs. Earl Corn of Dexter New Mexico was appointed to the board. She served until 1965.

NMCAMA was accredited into AAUW’s national membership in 1954, allowing graduates with degrees in home economics and foods and nutrition to become AAUW members.

AAUW-LC began honoring outstanding high school girls in 1955 with a “Girl of the Month,” program, which continued for 23 years.

AAUW-LC joined other organizations in 1975 to fight bills introduced in the New Mexico Legislature to rescind the state’s ratification of the federal Equal Rights Amendment and attempts to initiate actions to repeal the constitutional amendment New Mexico voters had already approved.

In 1985, AAUW-LC created a video entitled “Careers A to Z,” which featured 26 outstanding women in fields from astronomy to zoology. The video was distributed to New Mexico schools and was recognized in Good Housekeeping magazine in an article entitled “Volunteerism in America.

Current programs and projects

• The NMSU AAUW-LC Endowed Scholarship began in 1988 and became fully endowed in 2003. Since 2000, 32 scholarships valued at more than $31,000 have been given to qualifying college women.
• The AAUW-LC True Grit Awards were also started in 1988 to provide financial awards to graduating high school girls who have overcome significant obstacles to graduate. During the last two years, eight awards have been given.
• The national AAUW hosts a leadership conference for female college students each June. AAUW-LC sent two students to the 2023 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders in College Park, Maryland.
• AAUW-LC has hosted GIRLS CAN! every March since 1996. The one-day career exploration event for sixth-grade girls in Doña Ana County is held on the DACC East Mesa campus. Each participant attends sessions lead by local professional women who create hands-on demonstrations of their work. More than 200 local sixth-grade girls attend each year.

A parents workshop is offered at the same time to present information about maneuvering through the systems to help parents get girls into institutions of higher education.

• AAUW Tech Trek is a one-week STEM summer residential camp for eighth-grade girls from throughout New Mexico, held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. AAUW-LC distributes camp applications, assists in selecting participants and provides financial assistance.

Visit lascruces-nm.aauw.net.