College Women’s Club of Pasadena Resumes In-Person Meetings to Support Women’s Education

The College Women’s Club of Pasadena, a community organization founded in 1921 by the wives of Caltech professors, will re-start their in-person meetings on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Blinn House in Pasadena, which will feature a talk by Dr. Deborah Buckwalter, Director of Wellbeing at The Center for Connection, also a Pasadena-based organization, and a Clinical Psychologist in Neuropsychology.

With over 20 years of experience in psychological and neuropsychological assessment and treatment, Dr. Buckwalter will share valuable insights on the significance of “Our Relationships.”

The College Women’s Club of Pasadena has been pursuing three main missions since its foundation: providing scholarships and fellowships to women attending college in the Pasadena area, strengthening fellowship among college women, and stimulating the continuous development of members.

Over the years, the Club has supported numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds in pursuing their educational goals. Notable success stories include a young woman from Korea who immigrated to the U.S. with a high school education and was accepted into such universities such as Smith College, Yale, and Stanford.

The Club has also awarded scholarships to students from institutions like Caltech, Pacific Oaks College, and Pasadena Community College.

Through its Scholarship Foundation, established as a nonprofit organization in 1952, the Club has given out loans and scholarships to women seeking higher education.

“Last year we awarded almost $65,000 to deserving young women,” Kathy LaRussa, the Club’s publicity chair, said. “These young women come to us from a wide background.”

To date, it has distributed over $1.3 million to 663 women, with eight to 17 scholarships and fellowships awarded each year. A statement by the organization said the Scholarship Foundation currently has an endowment of approximately $1.8 million, managed by the Pasadena Community Foundation.

The Club’s monthly meetings take place at The Blinn House and also feature a business meeting.

“Our club offers stimulating meetings with interesting speakers, monthly trips and outings to local points of interest, zoom book club meetings, and the opportunity to meet new people and help celebrate and support the education of young women,” LaRussa said.

Last May, the Club’s Spring Scholars Ceremony honored 14 local young women who received fellowships and scholarships in partnership with the Pasadena Community Foundation.

“If anyone is interested in becoming a member of CWC we encourage them to visit our beautiful website at www.cwcpasadena.org for further information about our club,” LaRussa said.