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AE

2025 AE Fellows Deadline is November 15

Below you will find a letter and information about the Amelia Earhart Fellowship, 2025. While clubs do not receive applications, or act on them directly, we are asked to promote the Fellowship to appropriate institutions. The deadline for 2025 applications is November 15, 2024. In addition, if current or prior recipients are attending schools or living in your areas, you are encouraged to invite them as guests to your meetings.  Governor Donna Raycroft or I will be in contact regarding the presentation of AE “Wings” and certificates for the 2024 AE Fellowship recipients.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jane House,

I have been asked by Zonta International to share this information and materials with the clubs in our district.  We currently have five (5), 2024 AE Fellowship recipients, four (4) from MIT and one (1) from Brown University.  MIT has also had several recipients in past years. Clearly those schools are aware of the AE Fellowship, but it is important to continue to foster this relationship.

I would appreciate your assistance in locating and encouraging promising women at the Ph.D./doctoral level in aerospace engineering or space sciences to apply for the Amelia Earhart Fellowship. Zonta clubs can help by promoting the AE Fellowship Award to students in such institutions.  If you have any contact information with the Departments of Graduate Studies, Scholarships and Fellowships, please share this information with them.  I would also appreciate it if you could forward that contact information to me, so that the district can use it for further communications.

In addition, please direct the schools to the Zonta International website for more information on the Amelia Earhart Fellowship at zonta.org/AEFellowship.

“The following materials are available to assist you in promoting the Zonta International Amelia Earhart (AE) Fellowships. You can find the materials listed below on the Zonta International website at https://www.zonta.org/Web/My_Zonta/Tools/Award%20Scholarship%20Fellowship%20Tools (you will need to login to have access).”

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING:

AE Fellowship Applicants may apply for the 2025 Amelia Earhart Fellowships at https://zontainternational.awardspring.com/ 

  1. Applicants must apply and submit all materials by 15 November 2024 to be considered for the 2025 Amelia Earhart Fellowships.
  2. Amelia Earhart Fellowship Description
  3. Amelia Earhart Fellowship Program Background/Statistics
  4. Amelia Earhart Fellowship Poster
  5. Sample News Releases for the 2024 Fellows
  6. Fellowship Awards Presentation Form – to be returned to Headquarters by the governor (or by a member), who will be presenting the wings pins and certificates to the 2024 Amelia Earhart Fellows no later than 31 May 2025
  7. 2024 Amelia Earhart Fellows’ list and biographies
  8. Amelia Earhart Fellowship Map (listing awardees by country of citizenship
  9. Amelia Earhart Day Sample Proclamation

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,
Jane L House, Chairman
AE Fellowship Committee, Zonta District 1
Build a Better World for Women and Girls… Read the rest

AE

2024 AE Fellows

  • Zonta District 1 is very excited to announce that 5 of the 30 Amelia Earhart winners in 2024 are from our District. One of the winners is from Brown (RI): Kierra Wilk – United States; four are from MIT:  Shion Andrew – United States, Madelyn Hoying – United States, Mennatallah Hussein – Egypt, and Hannah Tomio – United States. These women will be honored with the awarding of their “wings” at a ceremony in January – details will be announced later.   For now, please check out the bios of Amelia Earhart Fellows for 2024.
… Read the rest

Membership

Are We a Secret?

Dropping Zonta into everyday conversation
~ Lynn Stanley, Lt. Governor, Zonta Club of Concord NH ~

“Our club recently had a purse-stuffing party. We filled over 100 purses with toiletries to give to local shelters. During our party, we were also putting messages on several hundred postcards to be sent to women across the country reminding them to vote – an activity sponsored by MomsRising.”

There – I just dropped Zonta into the conversation.  How can you drop Zonta into the conversation?

We interact with people all the time, why not give them the opportunity to ask questions about our organization?  Why not give them the opportunity to be a member or an ally of our Clubs?

“Sorry, I can’t do Wednesday evening, I have Zonta that night and we have an amazing speaker I don’t want to miss!”

“Yes, the unhoused in our community really is a challenge. Our Zonta Club is doing this great service project…”

“I agree, women are under attack in this political climate.  I’m so glad our Zonta Club is doing…”

“Wow, you have an amazing talent.  Our Zonta Club could use someone like you with your passion and skills.”

Of course, you better have your elevator speech ready to go!  My standard line is:
“Zonta is an international organization and fortunately we have a local club.  We are a civic organization and our mission is to build a better world for women and girls.”

If they give me a positive response:
“We are always looking to build our membership, so any time you’d like to be my guest at one of our meetings, you could hear about all we are doing (and the dinner is fantastic!).”

Take a few minutes to think of all the places where you could drop Zonta into the conversation – in person or online.  You are doing great things, why not let people know?

 … Read the rest

Leadersship / Membership

Leadership in Zonta

District 1 Leadership

We are looking for a Chair for the 2024-2026 biennium.  Interested? Contact incoming Governor Donna Raycraftail

Current Leaders
Successful leadership in an all-volunteer member organization like Zonta requires prioritizing the greater good over the leader’s own objectives. Key attributes are valuing members and providing opportunities for their growth; knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and open communication; displaying authenticity; and both providing and sharing leadership.

District 1 Goals for the 2024-2026 Biennium
The goals include helping clubs amplify efforts to have a credible and visible voice; supporting club success, promoting leadership and sustainability; and encouraging engagement of audiences and allies. Let Donna Raycraft know how you can contribute to these goals.
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Resources and Links

Club President Orientation (60-minutes video) – Whether it is your first time or a repeat performance, this orientation from the Membership Committee will help you embrace your leadership potential, empower your fellow members, and equip you with communication, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills to build a thriving, productive club. 

Resolution 2, Strategic Plan & 2024-2026 Biennial Goals (60-minute video)– May 29: The future is bright for Zonta International. Join Zonta International President Ute Scholz, President-Elect Salla Tuominen, Vice President Fernanda Gallo-Freschi and Treasurer/Secretary Souella Cumming for a look back at the path from Resolution 2 to the Strategic Plan and how both Resolution 2 and the Strategic Plan informed the 2024-2026 Biennial Goals.

2023 Zonta Club Manual PDF The Club Manual serves as a guideline for club officers and committee Listing of resources for understanding the club president’s role, leading your club, and shaping a culture that stimulates growth and retention. members and contains information related to basic club operations, resources, and reference materials.

District 1 Club President Resource Guide – List of resources for understanding the club president’s role, leading your club, and shaping a culture that stimulates growth and retention.

District 1 Annual Planning Calendar – Month-by-month highlights of important events and dates to use for planning meetings and programs for the Zonta year.

 

Aspiring Leaders

Whether you want to learn how to be an active Zontian member, committee chair, board member, president, or governor, the best place to start is the PROCESS MAP FOR DEVELOPING CORE COMPETENCIES FOR ZONTA LEADERSHIP

2024 Core Competencies Matrix  This document takes you through specific pages of the Zonta Club Manual and short videos from the Leadership Development program, based on your desired area of growth. Simply choose your focus, then click on the links in that column to read or watch at your own pace.  When completed, share your experience with club members by completing this short Core Competency Review Sheet 

 

… Read the rest

Advocacy

Zonta Says NOW Intercontinental Think Tank

The Zonta Says NOW Intercontinental Think Tank meets on the third Sunday of each month and members may register via the Zonta International Events page.  Recordings of Intercontinental Think Tank meetings and meeting papers may be found here.

A Zonta Says NOW Think Tank is a group of Zontians from different clubs who meet online to share ideas about gender-equal climate action, learn from each other, be inspired, and have fun!  Zonta Says NOW Think Tanks generally have a small team of Zontians who work behind the scenes to set up and publicize online meetings, manage the agenda, arrange speakers, and host online events. Districts and areas in Zonta International can include part of a country, a whole country, or many countries. By adopting a Think Tank approach, Zontians from different clubs, areas and districts in the same country can work together to find ways to improve national and state/provincial laws that impact women and girls.

Intercontinental Think Tank

The Intercontinental Think Tank started in 2022 to facilitate communication between Zontians in different countries.  Members learn from a range of speakers how, globally, behaviour in one part of the world has a negative impact on other parts of the world and discuss issues in break-out rooms.

The Intercontinental Think Tank works closely with the United Nations Committee and the United Nations Environment Program.
The Intercontinental Think Tank is developing a growing list of fact sheets, leaflets and Action Guides to support Zonta clubs to take gender-equal climate action.
The Think Tank is also exploring a range of activities and events to show how to strengthen the role of women in the formation f disaster preparedness and response plans.… Read the rest

UN

CSW 68 Wrap-up

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is a global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission was established by an ECOSOC resolution in 1946 with a mandate to prepare recommendations on promoting women’s rights in the political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. The Commission also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women’s rights.

Below are reports from Dr. Mary Ann Rubis (Quaboag Valley Club), Audrey Millgate (Northampton Area Club) and other Zontians who attended the CSW68 forum.

Mary Ann Rubis  ~  Impressions from the Commission on the Status of Women 68
This year marked my 12th anniversary attending this annual event, all in person, with the exception of 2021’s virtual session due to COVID. My week in New York is always energizing, inspiring and uplifting!

Proud to be a Zontian
Receiving a pass to attend sessions at the United Nations allowed me to not only participate in side events presented by Permanent Missions, intergovernmental organizations and United Nation entities, but to share information about Zonta International and the Zonta Foundation for Women. In addition, parallel events organized by non-governmental organizations, (like Zonta International), at locations around New York City, highlighted the work that is being done around the world on behalf of women and girls.It was obvious that Zonta International is held in high regard not only by our United Nations partnering organizations but other like-minded organizations as well.

Inspired and amazed

For me, any event hosted by or including teens is a highlight not to be missed. As a teenager, were you thinking about social issues, sharing your views and personal experiences with a room full of individuals of all ages and nationalities, reciting poetry and showing other works of art in public depicting your life? To hear young people, (girls and boys), share their experiences advocating for period products, serving as mentors/leaders to other teens, rising up against poverty or already making a positive impact in their corner of the world was poignant and inspiring.

Aparna Parthasarathy, a Young Women in Public Affairs Scholar and this year’s Zonta International Youth Representative joined Ute Scholz, Zonta International President, Natalia Winder Rossi, Director, Social Policy and Protection, UNICEF and Branda Ng, Manager, Global Partnership and Youth Development Department, Buddhist Tzy Chi Foundation USA as a panelist during the UNICEF USA and Zonta International co-hosted session entitled: “How Strengthening Systems Unlocks Potential to Achieve Gender Equity”.  A shocking statistic shared with the audience: at the rate we are going in order for women to have equal status with men will require 131 more years! Social protection is a right!!!

Four event highlights   

The Pad Project and Apne Aap: Putting the Last Girl First – Two organizations, women-founded and led. Melissa Berton, Oscar-winning Executive of The Pad Project “A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education”. Ruchira Gupta, Emmy-winning journalist and Founder of Apne Aap Author of I Kick I Fly
In North Hollywood, California in 2012/2013, high school students learned that girls their own age were missing school because of their periods.… Read the rest