AMERICAN  ASSOCIATION  OF  UNIVERSITY  WOMEN FREMONT,  CALIFORNIA  BRANCH Breaking through barriers for women and girls
Back to Welcome Page Locate your pointer in the middle of the picture.  Click to enlarge it. Use the web page back button to return the picture to its normal size. The grateful recipient of an AAUW Fellowship in 1999 is donating the proceeds of her book above her costs to our AAUW branch.  Read her inspiring story and message of appreciation.  Learn how you can order her book. An Open Letter of Thanks from Dr. Anne Chan by Anne Chan, Ph.D. 1999 AAUW Career Development Grant Awardee Dr. Anne Chan, Author of Inspire, Empower, Connect: Reaching Across Cultural Differences to Make a Real Difference.       I remember it vividly as being one of those perfect sunny California days when I and other AAUW Fellowship recipients were celebrated by AAUW members at an awards luncheon more than a decade ago in 1999;  I was awarded an AAUW Career Development Grant which provided vital help for me to complete my Master’s degree.;  I will never forget the warmth and support I felt from the AAUW members that day.;   My immediate family had provided zero emotional support when I aspired to a graduate education so it was deeply moving and profoundly meaningful that the AAUW members showed their support and belief in me by awarding me a precious fellowship;  I will always cherish memories of that beautiful day – from the elegant setting of the restaurant, the joy and pride in everyone’s faces, right down to the potted azaleas that were presented to each recipient.       Unbeknownst to me, attending that AAUW event would be life-changing.  Being awarded an AAUW fellowship was in and of itself a tremendous affirmation.  But there was more in store for me that day -- I was also deeply impressed by the other fellowship recipients, many of whom were enrolled in doctoral programs.  I looked at each one of them as they stepped up to receive their awards.   At first, I was completely in awe of them because it had never occurred to me that I was smart enough to pursue a doctorate.   Then, right while I was looking at these remarkable young women pursuing their dreams, a fleeting thought suddenly floated into my head, “These women could be you, Anne.  Maybe you could get a doctorate too.”       Thanks to being in the inspiring presence of the remarkable women of AAUW, that fleeting thought got implanted in my head and took roots in my heart   I started exploring doctoral programs the year I received my award.   Two years from the time I was at the AAUW award ceremony gazing at the doctoral fellowship recipients, I was off to my own doctoral program at Stanford.  I am so very happy to be able to tell you in this article that I graduated from Stanford with my very own PhD in counseling psychology in 2008.       Another instrumental figure in my life was my mentor who took me under his wing and guided me throughout my sometimes rocky doctoral road.   We are much more different than we are alike – he is an energetic, 70-plus African American man and I am a diffident, middle-aged, first-generation Chinese woman.  Despite our differences, we got along remarkably well.  His mentorship of me subsequently inspired my dissertation research on the practices of outstanding mentors.  I was intrigued by how we could have such an amazing relationship despite our differences and I sought to understand why through my dissertation.       I have since written a book, Inspire, Connect, Empower: Reaching Across Cultural Differences to Make a Real Difference, describing how to be an outstanding mentor and how to reach across cultural differences.  I am donating proceeds from my book to the Fremont branch of the AAUW, which has an inspired and inspiring mentoring program for the Fremont high school girls.   (I will also take the liberty to state my gratitude to the AAUW Fremont branch for endorsing my book and for supporting my work.   AAUW Fremont members – you are an amazing group!)       I thank each and every AAUW member who has helped me get to where I am today.   Even though I may not have met you personally, I know that your energy, hearts, drive, passion, and support of women’s education has paved the way for my success.  I am deeply appreciative of your efforts and I want you to know that I am grateful and that you have made a difference in my life.       After the awards ceremony in 1999, I planted my special AAUW azaleas in my garden and they continue to delight me with fuchsia blooms to this day, even though I am most definitively the worst gardener on the planet.   It’s a miracle that my AAUW azaleas have done so well in my garden – perhaps it’s a sign of the strength and power of women united on behalf of other women.  Even if the flowers fade, I know for sure that what will bloom forever in my heart is my gratitude to the AAUW family who embraced me and supported me in my education.  Your faith in my abilities has meant the world to me.  I thank each of you and pledge to continue your work by giving back to AAUW. To order the book Inspire, Empower, Connect: Reaching Across Cultural Differences to Make a Real Difference Write a check for $35 (price includes shipping and handling), payable to Fremont AAUW, and send it to: Fremont AAUW, P.O. Box 8254, Fremont, CA 94537-8254 Back to Welcome Page