KOKOMO, Ind. — Indiana University Kokomo’s Women of the Well House awarded more than $19,000 in grants for eight projects, which will benefit the campus and community.
Projects funded include a closet to provide professional attire for students, an opportunity to study mental health services available in Europe, a Junior Chef class to teach teens good nutritional habits, and support services for women in technology careers.
Cathy Clearwaters, assistant director of development, said the philanthropy circle allows women to work together and pool their resources to make a difference in areas that are important to them.
When a group of women comes together and each gives a small annual amount, it is rewarding to see the large impact it can make in the community,” she said. “Presenting these grants to the recipients is the highlight of our year.”
Formed in August 2017, Women of the Well House, inspired by IU’s Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council, is the first women’s philanthropy organization on an IU regional campus.
Membership is open to women who make a $1,000 per year commitment, and each member has a voice in selecting projects to fund. The group funded almost $14,000 during its first grant cycle in 2017.
Projects receiving funding include:
- Philosophy for Children Empirical Study: The grant will provide funding for IU Kokomo student Jacob Castleberry, along with Kathy Holcomb, associate professor of psychology, and Alex Gillham, visiting lecturer in philosophy, to study possible effects of the Philosophy for Children program, and implicit bias. They will partner with a local school to complete the study, with plans to publish the results.
- Comparative Mental Health Travel Course: Funding will provide additional educational components, such as museum tickets, to a 10-day trip to Austria and the Netherlands for psychology students, who will learn about mental health care services in the United States and overseas. Rosalyn Davis, clinical assistant professor of psychology, said it also will offset travel costs for students.
- Junior Chef Cooking Class: Kim Mossburg, lecturer in nutritional science, will provide culinary and nutritional information to about 15 teen students, to teach them positive dietary habits to improve their health.
- IU Kokomo Women in Technology Club: Chen Zhong, assistant professor of informatics, and Hong Liu, assistant professor of computer science, will use the funds to build a community for female students in STEM majors, to encourage peer teaching and engagement in the research program.
- Persimmon Sustainability Camp: The camp is a partnership between IU Kokomo and Kokomomentum, an after school program through the Kokomo Schools. Kokomomentum focuses on STEM and serves students grades 2 through 5. IU Kokomo faculty, staff, and students will lead campers in sustainability activities including native gardening, learning about endangered species, wetland restoration, and carbon footprint. Leda Casey, senior lecturer in geology, and student Tabitha Pelgen lead the program.
- Destination APA: Attending the American Psychological Association meeting in Chicago. Psychology faculty will take graduate and undergraduate students to conference, for the primary psychological association for professionals throughout the world. Students will have opportunities to present research, network with graduate schools and employers, and learn from world-renowned experts in their field. Rosalyn Davis, clinical assistant professor of psychology, applied for the grant.
- Professional Wardrobe for Students: Students from the Women in Business would create a professional wardrobe for students, as both a service learning project and a resource for financially disadvantaged students. Gloria Preece, director of the Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Management programs, applied for the grant.
- Women in Business Student Association WBE trip: Funding will be used for members to visit several women-owned businesses in Chicago, and discuss the realities, challenges, and opportunities of being a female and/or minority entrepreneur or executive. Gabby VanAlstine, lecturer in business, applied for the grant.
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.