Branch Meetings and Programs
Branch Meetings are held in September through November and January through April. Meetings are generally held the first Wednesday evening of meeting months. Check each month’s Twigs for further details. All meetings are open to visitors.
The dates and topics of this year’s Branch meetings are listed below. For further information, click here.
BRANCH PROGRAMS 2024-2025
Welcome to the 2024-25 program year for our branch. We have an exciting lineup of speakers for your enrichment and entertainment. They are scheduled at local community meeting rooms such as the Glen Ellyn Police Department (65 South Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn) or the Wheaton Public Library. When possible, ZOOM access will be available.
For Wednesday evening meetings, doors will open at 6:45 PM to allow for some social time before the program begins at 7:15. Our business meeting follows the program. This year, the January meeting will be Zoom only.
September 4, 2024
Location: Glen Ellyn Police Department Community Room
Our guest speaker will be followed by a showcase of Branch interest groups and activities for our 2024-25 season.
KICK-OFF MEETING
Jelena Radovic-Fanta, PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Governors State University, Chicago will deliver the following presentation: You Leave the Family to Give Them a Better Life: Migration, Gender, and Belonging in Chile’s Grape-Export Industry. Associate Professor Radovic-Fanta’s research was enabled by her AAUW Fellowship grant awarded in 2018.
October 2, 2024
Location: Glen Ellyn Police Department Community Room
THE DUPAGE HEALTH COALITION: PARTNERS WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE HEALTH SERVICES FOR DUPAGE LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
Joel Jara,Community Relations Coordinator, DuPage Health Coalition, works with a partnership of physicians, hospitals and community organizations to aid those in need. This important service saves lives as it makes medical procedures available to DuPage residents who are unable to purchase health insurance.
November 6, 2024
Location: Glen Ellyn Police Department Community Room
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARDS, NEEDED OR NOT?
How is DuPage County tackling the mental health needs of its population? 
Our speakers, Mike Murray and Hugh Brady, have both been instrumental in establishing 708 Community Mental Health Boards in DuPage County townships and other neighboring townships. They will address the need for the 708 Community Health Boards, the history of the boards, their objectives, their impacts and their services.
Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 6:45 PM
Location: Zoom Only
A RESILIENT STATE: WHAT ILLINOIS IS DOING RIGHT AND WHY IT IS BETTER THAN YOU THINK
Ready to start out 2025 on a positive note? Join us from the comfort of your warm home to hear from two experts, Dr. Robert Bruno and Frank Manzo IV, who will share good news about the state of Illinois. They will discuss: What Illinois is Doing Right and Why It Is Better Than You Think. Dr. Bruno and Mr. Manzo are responsible for much in-depth research on this topic (some has recently been reported in the Dec. 9th Chicago Tribune) and their findings show that the population of Illinois is stable, its workforce has grown and, as its economy has become more robust, it is a good place to earn a living! They will dispel media reports and myths claiming otherwise. Dr. Robert Bruno is a Professor of Labor and Employment in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well Director of the Labor Education Program and the Director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal. He also currently serves as the president of School Board for Glen Ellyn’s District #41. Frank Manzo IV is an Economist at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI), a nonprofit research organization that he cofounded in 2013 to promote economic growth for businesses and working families.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 6:45 PM
Location: Wheaton Public Library
AN UNFINISHED JOURNEY: AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC IN PIVOTAL DECADES
Clarence Goodman is a historian, musician, and radio personality. Mr. Goodman will present a multimedia concert featuring key songs and stories of the Black experience. Learn how disparate voices united during critical moments of societal change in this entertaining presentation.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 6:45 PM
Location: TBA
TITLE IX EVOLUTION: RECENT AMENDMENTS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO IX
Dr. Suzanne Chod, Professor of Political Science and Gender Studies, North Central College, will review how the changes in Title IX affect educational institutions and their handling of gender equity and sexual misconduct. She will highlight the implications for schools, students, and educators.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 6:45 PM
Location: TBA
DARK SKIES INTERNATIONAL
Adam Kreuzer, lawyer, Board Delegate, Dark Skies International speaker, will be our guest presenter. The goal of Dark Skies is to restore and protect the dark skies. Remember when you could see- with your naked eye- thousands of stars, the Milky Way, our galaxy, planets and the Man in the moon? Adam Kreuzer will enlighten us on how light pollution has diminished our view of the sky and what we can do to improve our night vision.