Planning for an Economically Secure Future: 2006–07 Campus Action Projects

By Andresse St. Rose, AAUW Project Lead, Campus Action Projects

The Campus Action Project is one of AAUW’s major programs. The CAP program promotes student leader development and also supports innovative projects or programs that can be replicated. This year’s CAP program is focused on projects that promote awareness of women’s economic security. The selected teams come from across the nation and also include a team from Guam, supported by AAUW of Guam. These teams have developed and implemented a wide range of exciting projects that include conferences, art competitions and exhibits, mentoring, and research.

The students involved in the CAP programs are as diverse as the teams and projects themselves. This year’s teams include undergraduates and graduates as well as traditional- and nontraditional-aged students whose academic interests range from fine arts to political science, sociology, Japanese studies, and women’s studies. In spite of their diverse interests, these students share a commitment to equity and campus involvement.

Although many of the students were not specifically interested in or knowledgeable about pay equity, they decided to get involved anyway and are now reaping the benefits. Janet Shokal, a senior at Coastal Carolina University, found the topic interesting and says she has learned so much about financial literacy that she finds herself advising others. "Everyone should know this stuff. This has been a life-changing experience that will help me forever." Paula Orlofsky, a graduate student at the University of West Florida, did not think much about pay equity until joining the CAP program. "I didn’t think about my financial future and pay equity issues," she says. "But I will be more assertive in negotiating salary, and I will do my research in the future when applying and interviewing for jobs."

Although participating in the project presents demands on already packed schedules, students often lead workshops, design posters, perform data analysis, and develop their organizational and creative skills, but the biggest payoff is the opportunity to make a difference on campus. This was the major motivating factor for Michelle Franquez, a junior at the University of Guam. Her team is evaluating how woman-friendly the university is. One result is that Franquez is "learning the difference between an 'equal opportunity’ environment and a ‘woman-friendly’ environment."

The CAP team members also hope to use the knowledge they gain from taking part in the CAP project to make a difference beyond the campus. Kimie Kennedy, a graphic design major at Savannah College of Art and Design, says, "I am a woman in the arts, and it is important to me that I receive equality in my field." Teresa Long, a senior at Tennessee Technological University, also sees programs like CAP as adding to the dialogue that will make a difference in the long term: "I think that most of the young women on my campus are interested in learning about the gender barriers that exist and why. I also think that women are interested in making a change for future generations of women to come." CAP projects are considered successful if they accomplish the primary goal of developing women student leadership on campus. According to Page Goad, a nontraditional senior at Tennessee Technological University, her team’s project is already a success: "The best part of participating on the CAP team has been finding myself - discovering my talents and limitations. This project has played a large role in my own goal setting and accomplishments."