One hundred years ago this Nov. 2, Jeannette Rankin was elected as the first woman to serve in Congress – years before women had the right to vote. Though she was a tireless advocate for social justice during her 60-year career, she is remembered largely because of her votes against entering both world wars.
From age 21, Rankin advocated women's suffrage (and was the only woman able to vote in favor of women's right to vote), child labor laws, medical care for the poor and staying out of war.
She had a home in Watkinsville from 1926 until she died in 1973. A $16,000 bequest from that estate was designated to help "mature unemployed women workers." Five visionary women from Athens came together, took that charge, and created the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, also known as Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund.
Susan Bailey, Gail Dendy, Heather Kleiner, Margaret Holt and Reita Rivers (Rankin's assistant) understood the power of education in changing the trajectory of a woman's life. The mission of the foundation is to provide postsecondary education to low-income women 35 and older by offering scholarships. We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, and in that time, have provided 1,200 scholarships totaling $2.5 million to more than 900 women.
The shape of the American family is changing. The number of women getting married in the United States is steadily declining. Why is this cause for concern? Among household types, more than two in five (43 percent) of single-female-headed households with children live below the poverty line. Compare this to the much lower poverty levels for single-male-headed households (24 percent) and married households (9 percent).
The median wealth for a single white male is $10,150, but for single white women, it is $3,210. The number is even lower – in fact, it's negative – for single black women (-$200) and Hispanic women (-$100). Women both earn less than men and have less wealth, and the gender wealth gap is larger than the gender wage gap. With less income and less wealth, single women are economically disadvantaged compared to single men.
Every year, about 75 percent of the fund scholars are single heads of households with a median income of $20,000. In the United States, the median income for a college-educated woman is $54,000, 82 percent more than the $30,000 median income for a high school-educated woman.
Poverty can feel overwhelming to see how anyone can overcome homelessness, unemployment and many other obstacles. The one thing – perhaps the only thing – that can help a woman to overcome poverty is education.
Every day, I see how the foundation scholarship recipients have figured out a way to make a better life for themselves and their children. Time and again, they have completed their education, found a better job and improved their living situation. Their children are inspired by their success and motivated to continue their education.
Let me share Khadijah's story with you. The Atlanta woman was a mother in trouble, trapped in an abusive marriage that led to physical health problems and clinical depression. After leaving her husband, she struggled to provide for her two children. The scholarship fund provided her with scholarships to complete her associate's and bachelor's degrees. She obtained safe housing for her son and herself while maintaining a 3.9 grade-point average. She is in her second year of law school.
Once a recipient of the services of Legal Aid, she now is a board member of that group. Khadijah has helped women in domestic violence shelters build better lives. She hopes to make that her profession after she finishes law school.
There is a lot of talk in the nonprofit community about eliminating generational poverty. The scholarship fund provides a critical path forward for women who might get stuck in that cycle of generational poverty.
We are continually inspired by what a $2,000 scholarship can do for a woman. But if you think about it, with the median income being $20,000, the scholarship provides 10 percent more income.
There are many different scholarship programs, but many of these programs are limited to funding only tuition. We know that going to school requires so much more than just paying tuition. Pam, a local Athens scholar, used some of her scholarship to replace four tires on her car, providing transportation to school. Because they can use their scholarship for child care, car repairs, the mortgage – anything necessary to get them through school – it becomes a tool to leverage significant life improvement.
The scholarships can make the difference between getting by and making a life. On a local, state and national level, we need to continually invest in postsecondary education critical for moving women and their families forward.
Though suffrage was the defining issue for women in Rankin's time, ensuring women have the wages and wealth they need to provide for their families has become the defining issue for women in our time.
Rankin's passion for advocacy lives on. Her votes and lobbying were able to help change the lives of many women. One by one, the scholars are changing their lives and their families' lives. Rankin's legacy is creating better lives for women and children 100 years after her historic election.
Karen Sterk is the executive director of the Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund.
Source: Sterk: Rankin scholarships changing women's lives
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