The President’s Council of Cornell Women has announced the recipients of its Fall 2017 Microgrants, awarding over $5,000 to student organizations planning events and projects that empower women.
This fall is the second time such grants have been offered, according to a press release. Their aim is to support “student-led projects or events that empower women and raise awareness of women’s issues in the broader Cornell community,” the release said.
The microgrant program is part of the PCCW’s mission to support Cornell women through active mentoring, scholarships and grants, including research grants, the release said. Over the past 25 years, PCCW has given out over $4 million to students, campus organizations and pre-tenured faculty members.
This fall, any officially recognized Cornell female group on campus could apply for a microgrant of up to $500, meaning both undergraduate and graduate and professional student organizations were eligible, according to the grant guidelines. This year, said the press release, over 20 groups applied, and after a competitive application and review process, 12 organizations’ projects were selected.
Undergraduate projects receiving the award include Smart Women Securities Stock Pitch Competition, Lunch with Les Femmes, Women in Venture Capital and the American Choral Directors Association – Eastern Division Conference.
The chosen projects for graduate and professional organizations include the Second Annual Cornell Real Estate Women’s NYC Reception, How We Experience Gender: Women’s Planning Forum Fall Workshop Series, The Loneliness Project by the Association of Graduates in Theater, Sexism and Women’s Issues in Economics, Women in Engineering and Science Panel and Networking Dinner, Women in Healthcare Leadership Symposium and Women’s Law Coalition Career Day.
In addition, Expanding Your Horizons, a one-day conference for 7th to 9th grade girls run mostly by graduate students, received grant funding. According to the program’s website, the conference involves workshops where young women learn about math and science and conduct hands-on experiments.
“We are excited to offer funding to Cornell groups that support and promote women’s issues on campus,” said Heidi Grenek ’92, chair of PCCW, in the press release. “Once again, we received a wide range of proposals from a variety of student groups, both undergraduate and graduate. The grants awarded will fund programs that will continue to make Cornell an open, diverse, and inclusive place.”
Because the program has received such popularity, said the press release, PCCW has decided to continue the program and award the microgrants annually.