News & Events
In addition to providing scholarships and grants to its scholars, WES works to help connect CC and the surrounding community through a series of events each year, including a traditional Fall Tea and an Annual Meeting luncheon for WES members. Other events include bringing speakers on topics of interest and engaging authors for book talks. WES also arranges outings for scholars and board members in the Colorado Springs community.
Academic Year 2023-2024
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Recent Events
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The Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Board members and WES membership joined scholars in a lunch at Taste Restaurant at the Fine Arts Center. Graduating seniors gave presentations highlighting their many and impressive experiences during their four years at Colorado College, and expressed their gratitude for the support WES has given them throughout. These presentations are a highlight of the WES year!
Holiday Cookie Exchange
This year's Cookie Exchange was held in Cossitt Hall, and included a mac & cheese lunch for WES scholars after morning classes. Scholars chatted with each other and with board members, and were able to decorate homemade sugar cookies in a range of colors and designs. They also filled tins with cookies provided by the board to take with them, to help get them through the last block of the semester.
ANNUAL FALL TEA
The Annual Fall Tea is a tradition going back over 50 years, and was held this year in the beautiful Stewart House. The six new scholars of the incoming class were introduced by their mentors, and were able to interact with both WES members and guests from the CC staff and administration during a traditional tea. As always, we are extremely impressed with the incoming class, as with all our WES scholars, and we look forward to getting to know them better at events throughout the year.
Fall Scholar Picnic
In what has become an annual tradition, WES hosted our scholar group for a late afternoon picnic, held again this year in the beautiful garden of board member Judy Sondermann. Over a dinner catered by La Casita, first-year scholars were able to meet and get to know returning students and board members. The board also used the opportunity to let scholars know about WES grant opportunities available to them over the course of the year. It was wonderful to meet our newest scholars, and to hear about the summer experiences of our returning mentees!
2022-2023 Events
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Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Induction of Our Founder, Mary Goodale Slocum
This year, we experienced a highlight in WES's history when our founder, Mary Goodale Slocum, was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame. Through the passion and efforts of two of our WES board members, the application illuminating Mary's work and contributions was successful, and WES board members attended the induction ceremony in Denver in March, along with an impressive group of inductees and attendees from all over the state. We are honored to have our founder and her legacy recognized in this visible and permanent way.
International Women's Day Celebration
WES is a sponsor of the Colorado Springs International Women's Day celebration, giving funding, and sending representatives to help with planning and execution. WES had a table at the event to highlight our work and give membership information. It was wonderful to see WES members at the event, and meet the many engaging, vibrant women who attended.
Book Talk with Jeri Norgren
On February 9, WES hosted a Book Talk with Jeri Norgren, author of "Colorado's Highest: The History of Naming the 14,000 Foot Peaks". WES members and community members enjoyed drinks and hors doeuvres in Bemis Great Hall before the engaging presentation of the stories behind the names some of Colorado's highest peaks. We were joined by members of the Saturday Knights, a local hiking club, two of whose members at the event had climbed all of Colorado's 14ers!
Annual Cookie Exchange for Scholars
In December, WES hosts a cookie exchange for our 21 scholars. Board members make or bring cookies, and we supply a tin for students to choose cookies to take back to their dorms, either to share or to fortify them for the last block of the semester. A highlight is the plain sugar cookies, with frostings and decorations for students to make their own artwork!
The Annual WES Fall Tea
Each Fall, WES invites its members, board, and scholars to a traditional Tea, held this year in the beautiful Stewart House on the CC campus. Attendees enjoyed tea, buffet, and desserts with a background of harp music, along with the view from the Stewart House patio. In each year, it is the first opportunity for our larger membership to meet the incoming class of scholars.
The Fall Scholar Picnic
In September, WES hosted a picnic to introduce the group of first-year WES scholars to returning second-years, juniors, and seniors in the beautiful backyard of board member Judy Sondermann. Scholars and board members enjoyed a buffet and desserts, and then played games in the beautiful Fall weather.
Past Events
November 11, 2021: A Tour of the Universe! with astronomer Dr. Ka Chun Yu (Denver Museum of Nature and Science) and Dr. Shane Burns (Colorado College Physics Professor)
October 11, 2021: Starlight Tour of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
April 27, 2021: Annual Meeting (Virtual)
March 13, 2021: Zoom at the Zoo (Virtual)
January 28, 2021: Racial Equality Forum (Virtual)
December 9, 2020: Cookie Summit (Virtual)
October 22, 2020: Virtual Tea
September 24, 2020: Antarctica Expedition featuring Professor Christine Siddoway (Virtual)
August 6, 2020: New Scholar Meet & Greet (Virtual)
Oct. 29, 2019: "How Three Strong Women Changed the Cultural Landscape of Colorado Springs for Good," Bemis Hall, Colorado College
Sept. 14, 2019: Historic Van Briggle Pottery Festival & Tour
April 24, 2019: Annual Luncheon, Taste Restaurant, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
April 3, 2019: "Ghosts of the Past" by Dr. Fawn-Amber Montoya, Worner Center
March 17-21, 2019: WES/PILLAR Trip: Wings over the Platte
March 2, 2019: Annual International Women's Day Celebration, The Pinery.
Feb. 7, 2019: Colorado Experience: Fannie Mae Duncan. Directed by: Kate Perdoni, Hillside Community Center
Jan. 17, 2019: Book Talk with Cai Emmons, author of "Weather Woman"
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Explore the WES Organization
EOE Statement
Mission Statement
WES is a non-profit organization that funds scholarships and grants to eligible Colorado College students, regardless of sex or gender, and offers educational programs to scholars, members, and the community.
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