The St. Lawrence County Branch of the American Association of University Women recently received several awards at the AAUW-NYS Convention in Lake Placid. Several branch members were also recognized for their leadership efforts.

Betty Connolly of South Colton was chosen as the 2013 Branch Emerging Leader.

Connolly has been a member of the St. Lawrence County Branch since 2012. She joined the branch board in 2012 after election as program vice president and has chaired the Professional Clothing Fair Committee for several years.

Connolly is the assistant vice president for administration and the affirmative action officer for SUNY Canton, an AAUW C/U member college.

She joins a cadre of other local branch members who have received state Emerging Leader recognition from AAUW-NY. These include Michele Pinard of Brasher Falls in 2012, Kathleen Stein of Canton in 2011, and Jennifer Ball of Potsdam in 2010.

For her efforts as the branch Public Policy Chair, Kathleen Stein was one of several state-wide members who received a Special Leadership Recognition Award by the AAUW-NYS Public Policy Director, Donna Seymour of Potsdam.

The Branch newsletter, the North Country Connection, received a 2013 Newsletter Award of Excellence.

The branch was also recognized for giving to the Legal Advocacy Fund, the philanthropic arm of AAUW that works to combat sex discrimination in higher education and the workplace. The branch was recognized as a top 5 Star Branch, giving $5 or more per member; as a Top 10 Branch in per capita fund contributions; and as a top 5 branch in Evvie Currie Giving Circle contributions.

The branch also received a number of program awards for its public policy outreach in 2012-13. Awards included a 2013 Public Policy Taking Award, a Get Out the Vote Action Award for efforts last fall to educate and register voters, and a 2013 Equal Pay Day Action Award.

The St. Lawrence County branch also received a branch Women's Equality Agenda Leadership award.

The branch also received the Best Use of Op-Eds to Educate the Public award and the Best Use of Public Access TV and YouTube for the “Conversations With Candidates” and “North Country Matters” series.

Potsdam’s Donna Seymour was also elected as the first public policy vice president. She is completing her term as the last appointed director for that position before it becomes an elected office.

Seymour also chairs the 2013-14 Nominating Committee for the state.

For more information about AAUW in St. Lawrence County contact President Jennifer Ball at 268- 4208 or jball@clarkson.edu or visit the website www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/index.html.