Our local AWC chapter has agreed to sponsor the United Way of Greater Topeka's Women United event September 22. The event held at the Brown v. Board Historic Site will include Hors D'Oeuvres and wine. The presentation will be made by Diana Carlin.

A University of Kansas professor of communication studies, Diana Carlin has spent years studying women in politics and assisting new democracies in establishing voter education and political debate procedures. Recently, she assisted in developing debate programs at three universities in Kabul, Afghanistan. While there, she observed the changing expectations for Afghan women and learned women’s issues in Kabul may be more challenging than those of women in Kansas, but women everywhere have similar concerns for themselves and their families.

Tickets are $25/person and seating is limited, so RSVP today. This will be a great presenation to learn about not only women's issues in Kansas, but how they compare to women in another part of the world.

For complete information and for RSVP information, visit the events page on our website.

Congratulations to the Finalist for the Topeka AWC 2010 Community Investment Project - Habitat for Humanity of Topeka.

The Topeka Professional Chapter of the Association of Women in Communications is a group of women committed to making Topeka a better place to live, work, and be. A big part of that committment is the Community Investment Project. Members will donate their time, resources and talent to assist one local nonprofit in 2010. The project may include writing press releases, designing graphics, volunteering at an event, planning a gala, coordinating media and more. At the July Topeka AWC Meeting, members will learn more about Habitat for Humanity and how our members can use their talents to help with the 2010 project.

The Topeka Professional Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) awarded its annual membership awards on May 18, 2010.

Mary Napier was awarded the Vanguard Award for 2010 and National Chapter Star Award. Napier is President and owner of Napier Communications, which offers a unique combination of services, ranging from graphic design, publication layout and design, editorial, and public relations.

This is her second time receiving this award, but was very deserving for all of her hard work in the past year. She spent countless hours working to improve the image of Topeka AWC by re-designing the organization’s website (www.topekaawc.org) and constantly keeping it current. She also took on the role of Chair for the 2010 Headliner Awards Luncheon. The event was the first ever for the Topeka chapter and was a great success. The luncheon recognized women in the community who made headlines for their work in the communications industry. With her experience as a past president of Topeka AWC, Napier also stepped up to the plate to run meetings while the current president was on maternity leave.

“I constantly use her as a resource to ask questions and bounce ideas off of her. I feel that she makes our chapter much stronger,” said Joanne Montgomery, V.P. Membership Recruitment.

Napier joined AWC in 2005 and has been dedicated to the group since that time. She has served on the board as the V.P. of Administration, 2005-2006; President-elect, 2006-07; President, 2007-08; Past President and Website Chair, 2008-09; and Website Chair and Headliner Awards Chair, 2009-2010.

The Vanguard Award, also known as the National Chapter Star Award, is presented in memory of past chapter member Louise Roote, a former editor at Capper’s Weekly and AWC member. This award recognizes a member with more than two years chapter membership for outstanding involvement in the organization.

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Amanda Schuster was awarded the Rising Star Award for 2010. Schuster currently works at the League of Kansas Municipalities as its Communications Specialist and has been a member since 2008.

Upon joining, she immediately volunteered for the position of V.P. Membership Retention. Later in the year, she volunteered to take on the additional role of President-Elect when the position became vacant. As V.P. Membership Retention, she helped with membership drives, keeping members current, and speaking to students at Washburn University about Topeka AWC. After volunteering for President-Elect, Schuster helped with the AWC Scholarship Selection Committee and the Headliner Awards Selection Committee as well as speaking at the event.

“She is a young professional, and yet her passion and her dedication set her apart and put her years ahead of her peers. She is a true asset to the Topeka Chapter,” said President Jamie Hornbaker.

Schuster will continue as President-Elect for another full year on the AWC Board for the 2010-11 term, which starts July 1.

The Rising Star Award is presented in honor of past chapter member Carolyn Terhune who was AWC president from 1978 to 1980. This award recognizes a member with less than two years of chapter membership for outstanding involvement in the organization.

The Topeka Professional Chapter of the Association of Women in Communication is a group of women committed to making Topeka a better place to live and work and be. A big part of that committment is the Community Investment Project. Members will donate their time, resources and talent to assist one local nonprofit in 2010. The project may include writing press releases, designing graphics, volunteering at an event, planning a gala, coordinating media and more.

Do you know of an organization that could use the assistance of over 40 communication professionals? Please share the 2010 Application with them. ANY Topeka area non-profit is welcome and encouraged to apply. Applications are due May 7th, 2010. Finalists will be interviewed and a winner selected and announced by June 1st.

To download the application, click here.