Records span from 1920s to 2020s.

In 1927 The Grand Junction Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) was founded with 27 members. Notable members include Mrs. Esther Herr, Miss Anna Berg, Mrs. A.W. Kemper, Mrs. Lillian P. Morse, Miss Mary Rait, Miss Hazel Ela, Mrs. H. S. Russell, Mrs. Joesphine Biggs, and Miss Emma Groom (please note some names are unknown). In 1961 the AAUW national convention was held in Grand Junction, Colorado. In 1975 the Grand Junction chapter recieved a $750 grant from the AAUW Educational Foundation to complete a one-year study of an "Index of Resources" for the Grand Vally community. In 1977 the Grand Junction chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary.

In 1981 the AAUW Educational Foundation chose Grand Junction as one of 6 communities to host African American educators. In October, school principals from Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Kenya met with branch members and toured the area. Photographs and documents regarding correspondance for this event are housed in the collection. In 1997 the branch was a co-host of the "Celebrate Girls" conference held on the Mesa State College campus, and the branch celebrated their 70th Anniversary with a party at Bookcliff Country Club with entertainment from members of the Senior Follies Group. In 1998 The branch recieved the Mary Jewell Willsea bequest of over $80,000 wchich helped fund the Mary Rait/Mary Jewell Willsea Endowed Grants Fund which provides several scholarships to Mesa State College (now known as Colorado Mesa University) students each year. The branch also hosted the Colorado State AAUW Convention in Grand Junction, with Branch President Lori Wood in charge. Beside the usual business meetings, there was a variety of events for AAUW members. Among them were a “Have Fun with Your Inner Child” luncheon featuring balloons, a dinosaur place mat with crayons to color on, popcorn and a magician, awards banquet where musicians from Mesa played and the branch’s Readers Theater Group performed the Julius Caesar spoof “Rinse the Blood Off My Toga”.

In 1999 planning began to produce a cookbook featuring chocolate recepies to raise money to endow a scholarship at UTECH (Formerly known as Western Colorado Community College, now known as CMU Tech). In addition to this the branch hosted the 3rd biennial Readers Festival in partnership with the Mesa State College foundation. The collection has memrobilia from Readers Festivals.

In 2002 the branch performed "Winnie the Pooh" at several schools and at the library's children's story time. The collection houses the scripts for this as well as the handmade costumes used in the performance. In 2006 the branch celebrated the 125th anniversary of the national AAUW organization. In 2007 the scholarship at UTEC (CMU Tech) was fully endowed through the sales of the chocolate cookbook The Anecdotal Chocolate and Other Juicy Morsels from Western Colorado, which was published and on sale in 2001, as well as from donations from branch members.

In 2018 the branch co-sponsored a Ballot Issues Forum with the Leauge of Women Voters at Whitman Educational Center. The "AAUW at CMU" student affiliate group was launched. The branch also celebrated its 90th anniversary at the Egg & I Restaurant. In 2019 the branch awarded the 1st "Women Who Make History" award to Jane Quimby, and in 2020 it was awarded to Michelle Shiao.

1927

The Grand Junction Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) was founded with 27 members.

1927-1951

Records from 1927 to 1951 are missing, except for Board minutes from 1949 to 1956.

1959

At an October branch meeting, Mary Rait spoke about her recent trip to Africa

1961

In May, the AAUW Colorado State Convention was held in Grand Junction.

1963

The Branch’s “Puppeteers” performed their 1st show. The group continued with performances at various locations through 1973.

1970

Members of the branch promoted a “Mesa County Greenbelt” which would clean up the riverbanks

1971

In April, the AAUW Colorado State Convention was held in Grand Junction.

1975

The branch received a $750 grant from the AAUW Educational Foundation to complete a one-year study of an “Index of Resources” for the community.

1976

The branch was host to the AAUW Colorado State Convention. The Grand Junction AAUW Singers group performed at the event.

1977

In January, the branch celebrated their 50 Year Anniversary with a fete at Two Rivers Plaza.

1979

Eleanor Hoefner of the Grand Junction Branch was elected as AAUW State President.

1980

Grand Junction Mayor Jane Quimby proclaimed February 2-9, 1980 as “AAUW Week”.

1981

The AAUW Educational Foundation chose Grand Junction as one of 6 communities to host African/American educators. In October, school principals from Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Kenya met with branch members and toured the area.

1993

The branch, led by members of the Book Group, held the “Women’s Conference: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow” at the Holiday Inn.

1995

The branch had their 1st entry in the 4th of July parade, and continued having entries for 3 more years.

The branch held the first Readers Festival “A Salute to Women Authors” in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

1996

AAUW branch members, along with state and local representatives as well as Mesa State College President Dr. Raymond Kieft, celebrated the approval of the 1st Masters Program at Mesa State College, something the branch had worked toward for many years.

The branch held a Mother’s Day Tea and Art Exhibit in conjunction with the Colorado Center for the Arts at the Atrium.

At the Annual Meeting of the branch in March, a parade of hats was used to illustrate women of different eras. The hats were provided from the collection of Mary Jewell Willsea.

The branch won the 1995-1996 Outstanding Community Project Award at the AAUW State Convention for the Reader’s Festival “A Salute to Women Authors".

1997

The branch was a co-host with the Girl Scouts of the “Celebrate Girls” conference held on the Mesa State College campus.

The branch celebrated their 70th Anniversary with a party at Bookcliff Country Club. Members of the Senior Follies Group entertained.

The branch held the 2nd biennial Readers Festival “A Salute to Authors in the West” in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

The branch developed UTEC classes specifically for women.

1998

The branch received the Mary Jewell Willsea bequest of over $80,000 which helped fund the Mary Rait/Mary Jewell Willsea Endowed Grants Fund which provides several scholarships to Colorado Mesa University women each year.

In April, the branch hosted the Colorado State AAUW Convention in Grand Junction, with Branch President Lori Wood in charge.

A student affiliate branch was formed at Mesa State College with 5 members. The affiliate group was active for 2 more years.

The new AAUW Reader’s Theater Group had several performances during the year.

1999

The AAUW Readers Theater Group performed several times during the year continuing to do so through 2009.

Planning begins to produce a cookbook featuring chocolate recipes to raise money to endow a scholarship at UTEC.

The branch held the 3rd biennial Readers Festival “Reading into the next Century” ---in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

2000

The branch entered a team in the “Big Kids Spelling Bee.

Other Special Interest Groups continued to meet: Film Fans, Hikers, Bridge, and Lifelong Learners.

2001

The branch held the 4th biennial Readers Festival “A Readers Odyssey” in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

The branch worked with the Kids Voting organization on the November elections, also in 2002.

The chocolate cookbook The Anecdotal Chocolate and Other Juicy Morsels from Western Colorado was finally published, and went on sale.

2003

The branch held the 5th biennial Readers Festival in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

2005

The branch held the 6th biennial Readers Festival in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

2006

In December, the branch celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the national AAUW with a brunch at Redlands Methodist Church. The Readers Theater Group performed.

2007

The scholarship at UTEC (Western Colorado Community College (CMU Tech)) was finally fully endowed through the sales of the chocolate cookbook as well as from donations from branch members.

The branch held the 7th biennial Readers Festival in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation.

The national organization restated the mission statement of AAUW and the branch updated their bylaws to reflect the new statement.

2009

The branch held the 8th biennial Readers Festival in partnership with Mesa State College Foundation. The branch co-sponsored a luncheon with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado

2010

In February, the branch held a luncheon to raise funds for the Military Families of America.

2011

The branch received a bequest from the estate of longtime member Eugenia McClure in the amount of $7,914.64. The Branch Board voted to place the money in a money market account to be used for membership recruitment activities.

2012

A “Jewelry Jamboree” sale of members’ no-longer-wanted jewelry was used to provide funds for the General Account.

2013

The branch voted $500 to support summer science camps at John McConnell Science Center: “Wild about Engineering: for Girls Only” and “Girls Only: Exciting Perimeters”.

On March 20th, the first “Cocktails & Conversation” event was held at Springhill Suites, honoring Teresa Coons. Another “Cocktails & Conversation” event was held in September, and in 2014 and 2015.

The AAUW Coffee & Chat Special Interest Group started as an outgrowth of the defunct Readers Theater Group.

In September, members of the branch participated in a Regional Community Convention with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado.

2015

Members of the branch served as judges for Grand Valley Magazine’s “Fairytale Writing Contest”.

In May, the branch celebrated their 88th Anniversary at the Fiesta Guadalajara Restaurant.

2016

Members of the branch held several meetings with women veterans to determine their needs in the community.

In November a Memo-of-Understanding was signed with the Colorado Mesa University Foundation to provide an unendowed scholarship for a woman veteran.

2017

The 1st Woman Veteran’s Scholarship was awarded.

2018

In April, the “AAUW at CMU” student affiliate group was launched. In May, the branch held a celebration of their 90th Anniversary at the Egg & I Restaurant.

In October, the branch co-sponsored a Ballot Issues Forum with the League of Women Voters at Whitman Educational Center.

2019

In March, the branch awarded the 1st “Women Who Make History” award to Jane Quimby.

2020

In August, the branch awarded the 2nd “Women Who Make History” award to Michelle Shiao.