5 TU programs receive inaugural Tall-Wiedefeld Society grant awards

Society awards $20,000 total to programs supporting mental health, STEM fields, mentorship

By Rebecca Kirkman on March 10, 2023

Members of the MentHER Program
Members of the MentHER Program pose for a picture after the Tall-Wiedefeld Society Grant Awards at the South Campus Pavilion. (Submitted Photo) 

On March 8, in celebration of International Women’s Day, the Tall-Wiedefeld Society awarded its inaugural grant awards. Totaling $20,000, the grants were awarded to five TU programs which benefit primarily, but not exclusively, the advancement of women.

Launched in spring 2022, the Tall-Wiedefeld Society honors TU’s women leaders, builds community and creates a permanent legacy to address the needs of young women at TU.

The society is a growing collective that supports positive change through philanthropy and education. It is named after two influential figures from Towson University's past who demonstrated how women can change the future: Lida Lee Tall and Mary Theresa Wiedefeld. Together, they guided TU’s growth for more than a quarter century (1920–47).

"As a member, I am particularly excited about this inaugural year of the Tall-Wiedefeld Society grant awards,” said Interim President Melanie Perreault in a welcome video at the Wednesday event. “This society is special for a number of reasons, not the least of which is because it shines a light on our collective ability to make a difference in the lives of those that call this university home. The grants, and ultimately the projects that you have funded as members of this society with your gifts and your votes, will impact our university now and in the future."

MentHER Program | $5,000

In its 14th year of operation, MentHER builds leadership skills and connects female students in the College of Business & Economics with information and mentors while instilling a sense of community engagement. In addition, MentHER develops high school students’ college and career readiness.

Grantwriting in Valued Environments (G.I.V.E) | $3,750

Within the College of Liberal Arts, G.I.V.E. provides female undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to connect with nonprofit leaders, increase the resources and assets of the organizations and advance their professional writing goals by connecting their coursework to the needs of nonprofit organizations in Baltimore.

Women's & Gender Studies Department 50th Anniversary Digital Archive | $3,750

Students will develop a digital archive of the Department of Women's & Gender Studies' history and impact. In collaboration with the Special Collections & University Archives at Cook Library, students will collect materials and oral histories for a launch event hosted by the Peale.

Learning to Fly: Girls After-School STEM Program | $5,000

From the College of Education, this six-week, one-on-one, afterschool STEM program will connect 26 TU undergraduate women from all majors to 26 elementary and middle school girls as they learn to operate drones, investigate flight patterns and make suggestions for alterations to future drone design models and flight technology.

Mental Health Support for Women STEM Students | $2,500

This grant aims to ensure an equitable research culture by increasing the number of minority students in the Fisher College of Science & Mathematics successfully completing degree programs in STEM disciplines and providing individualized and group coaching to reach that goal.

For more information on the Tall-Wiedefeld Society and the grant program, visit the program’s website or email .