Women's club provides opportunities for faculty, staff, spouses

Although Ball State boasts its student organizations, there are some for faculty and staff as well. One of these, the Ball State Women’s Club, has been around since 1929.

According to the club’s website, a group of faculty wives began meeting informally as the Faculty Wives Club. By 1931, meetings became formal and dues were set at 50 cents. 

The first constitution was written in 1949, stating the purpose of the group was to “promote a spirit of friendliness, to provide social intercourse and to stimulate culture among its members.”

The club achieved these goals through interest groups. The first interest groups had topics such as travel and books, said Amanda Kavars, vice president of the Women’s Club.

“The travel and tea groups have come and gone, but right now they exist,” Kavars said. “There has almost always been a book club, but now there are also groups for wine tasting and international women too.”

Interest groups meet once a month. Tania Said, director of education at the David Owsley Museum of Art, has been a member of the Women’s Club since 2006. 

She has been the co-chair of the wine group and also finds the time to attend the brunch and international groups.

“Belonging to the Women's Club is important time for meeting people outside of where I work and beyond my neighborhood,” Said remarked. "I enjoy meeting people from all over campus, the country and the world, as the Women's Club draws all kinds.”

Along with the interest groups, the club has three larger meetings each year: the fall carry-in, a holiday party and the spring fling. Both the fall carry-in and spring fling have extra meanings to them.

“The fall carry-in is where we encourage new faculty, staff and faculty wives to come and get involved, as well as when we give out our scholarship,” Kavars said. “At the spring fling we celebrate our retirees and the 50-year members.”

 Members are considered retirees when they or their spouses retire from Ball State.

“They’re not kicked out or anything. They even have their own interest group," Kavars said. "But sometimes they and their spouse move after retirement, so it’s nice to honor them if that ends up being the case.”

At the 2016 spring fling, seven members were honored for being 50-year members.

The Women’s Club gives three annual scholarships to non-traditional students. All proceeds from the events the club puts on fund the scholarships. Fundraisers include a silent auction; a give-back day at Panera, in which part of a purchase is donated to the club; and selling discount coupons for businesses in the community.

“Anything the club does for a profit is for the scholarships,” Kavars said.

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