AAUW Northwest Suburban Branch was founded in 1947 and continues to advocate for equity and education for women and girls today. We encompass the suburbs of Des Plaines, Park Ridge and Mount Prospect and have members from neighboring communities as well.

We support the right to a public education for all children. Our history includes providing informal education in a summer school for migrant workers’ children and advocating for the formation of Oakton Community College.

Oakton Community College opened in 1969 in former industrial buildings at Oakton and Nagle in Morton Grove. This original campus closed when the Des Plaines and Skokie campuses opened in 1980.

Our AAUW Northwest Suburban branch provides an American Association of University Women Oakton scholarship for an Oakton Community College woman student each year.

Early History of the AAUW Branch

Remembering our Charter Members from Sept., 1947 and leaders from 1952; Dorothy Bishop, Marg Nells, Phyllis Bentley, Jane Penill and others. Let us know if you are a relative of these innovative advocates of education.