Final Project: Women and Education

For my final project I have chosen the topic of education, and combining my skill set with potential community needs and volunteerism.  After researching numerous outreach groups I found an excellent fit that provides tuition free education for women here in Manhattan. 

Founded in 1897 and having moved to Tribeca in 2015, it is 100% tuition free and the goal for 119 years has been to educate and to assist women with employment. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, over 100,000 women have learned skills to successfully enter the workforce with a community based approach.  

40 Rector Street, 14th Street, New York, NY, 10006

Although the early days of Grace Institute focused on more patriarchal roles, modern classes revolve around entering corporate environments in an equal role. More research provided great reviews online and they are partnered up with

After meeting with the staff and taking tours, I was impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities, from computer labs to classrooms with cutting edge learning tools such as smart boards and embedded tablets.  They liked the time I put into preparing for the class, where we covered all the basics in an interactive, hands-on approach.  

The way I fit into this mix involves volunteer teaching segments of the Microsoft Suite once a month to a class of twenty women.  After going back and forth with Dara Washington, Retention Coordinator at Grace Institute, we have tailored a class for refreshing knowledge of the software.

This entailed going over specific educational needs they requested by employers along with an overview, examples and resources. 

Sharing this resource is key, as they have open house gathering twice weekly and an active social media presence. I recommend checking them out online, or stop by in person.  

#GRACEINSTITUTE 

I am a little nervous about it, but I look forward to teaching the first class in July of this year; at that point, the staff will make a determination about future monthly commitments where we would alter the class to better suit their needs.  I am lucky having taken this Women and Media class as it as opened my eyes on topics such as patriarchal structures, the male gaze, Bechdel test just to name a few.