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11/17/75 - Ten Outstanding Young Women of America
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11/17/75 - Ten Outstanding Young Women of America
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The original documents are located in Box 4, folder "11/17/75 - Ten Outstanding Young
Women of America" of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States
of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Wednesday,
November 19, 1975
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Dear Mrs. Ford,
I will phone you when Clem and
Karl are at the elevator/Map Room to
12:05 re-take the photos with Clem for the
Philadelphia Museum.
Following this, I will walk over
with you to the Oval Office for the
photographs with the President and the
12:15
10 Outstanding Young Women of America
(background material attached).
Thank you,
susan
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
MRS. FORD
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 17, 1975
Greeting - Ten Outstanding Young
Women of America
Wednesday, November 19, 1975
12:15 p.m. (10 minutes)
The Oval Office
11(+GF)
From: Pat Lindh
I. PURPOSE
To greet and congratulate the Ten Outstanding Young Women of
America who have been selected on the basis of exceptional
dedication, service and leadership to their profession, com-
munity, state and nation. The group includes a member of
your staff, Karen Keesling, Director, Office of Women's
Office of Public Liaison.
Programs ,R. FORD LIBRARY
II. BACKGROUND, PARTICIPANTS AND PRESS PLAN
A. Background: Sponsored by leading women's organizations,
the Outstanding Young Women of America program, through
its annual awards volume, honors young women between the
ages of 21 and 35 for civic and professional achievements.
Mrs. Dexter Arnold heads a distinguished Board of Advisors
which is composed of national presidents of major women's
organizations. The number of nominees is well over 20,000
annually.
The awards presentation will be held on Tuesday, November 18
at the Mayflower Hotel. The Ten Outstanding Young Women
were selected from the 50 State winners.
B. Participants:
Patricia Lindh
Pam Powell
Mrs. Dexter Arnold, a member of your IWY National Commission
and Honorary Chairman of this program
-2-
Constance Yu-hwa Chung, Silver Spring, Maryland; television
news correspondent for CBS; member of the Washington Chapter
Board of Directors of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Geraldine V. Cox, Portsmouth, Rhode Island; environmentalist,
Director of Oceanographic Services for Raytheon Oceanographic
and Environmental Services and a technical director of the
EPA Baseline Study of the New York Bight.
Marie T. Dias, Dorchester, Massachusetts; Executive Director
for the Children's World Day-Care Center in Boston; doctorial
candidate in Education from Boston University and President,
United Black Appeal, Inc.
FORD
Karen Keesling, Falls Church, Virginia; Director of the Office
of Women's Programs at the White House; member of the U.S.
LIBRARY
Delegation to the UN World Conference for IWY; former Kansas
Women's Golf Champion.
Marjorie Fine Knowles, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Professor of Law
at the University of Alabama School of Law; a leader in the
area of equal rights for women.
Sandra LeBeau, Eagle Butte, South Dakota; Sioux tribal council-
woman; active in the areas of housing, health, education and
welfare for her district.
Colleen Metternich, DeKalb, Illinois; Christian Education
Director at Northern Illinois University; a former Miss Illinois,
Assistant Coordinator of the Freedom Train Entertainment for
the Peoria Bicentennial Commission.
Sharon Raney Pallone, Little Rock, Arkansas; child abuse
counselor, corporation director for SCAN Volunteer Services, Inc.;
founder of the Arkansas Laubauch Literacy Council.
Barbara Taylor Welander, Mount Pleasant, Iowa; architect, FHA
project inspector; active in numerous community activities such
as Community Chest, Cancer Association, Girl Scouts and church.
Donna Brownsberger Zajonc, Salem, Oregon; psychiatric nurse and
counselor at the Methodone Outpatient Clinic; master's degree
candidate in public affairs in health service.
-3-
C. Press Plan: Press photo opportunity, White House group
photograph, meeting to be announced.
III. TALKING POINTS
To be provided by Editorial Staff
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Constance Yu-hwa Chung
Silver Spring, Maryland
Television News Correspondent Constance Yu-hwa Chung has
been named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Women of America
for 1975. Miss Chung is the daughter of William and Margaret
Chung of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Constance Chung is constantly continually being cited for insight
and integrity in her work. The recipient of an honorary
doctor's degree in journalism from Norwich University, she was
presented the Metro Area Mass Media Award by the American Association
of University Women just two years after she began her career.
She also received the National Association of Media Women's Award
for outstanding excellence in news reporting in 1973.
The United States Humane Society noted her efforts in a
series of broadcasts which increased public awareness of the
cruelties of seal harvesting; and the Chinese-American Citizens
Alliance recognized her with a public service award. The list
grows as Constance continues to demonstrate that women can bring
perception, compassion and vitality to news reporting.
Miss Chung belongs to American Women in Radio and Television
and serves on the Washington chapter board of directors of the
National Academy of Arts and Sciences.
-- 30 ---
FORD
LIBRARY
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
and
Dr. Geraldine V. Cox
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Dr. Geraldine V. Cox, environmentalist, has been named
one of the Ten Outstanding Young Women of the Year for 1975.
Dr. Cox is the daughter of Geraldine 0. Vang of Portsmouth,
Rhode Island.
Dr. Geraldine V. Cox has a deep concern for the envirenment.
As technical coordinator for Environmental Programs for Raytheon
Oceanographic and Environmental Services, Dr. Cox is currently
director of Oceanographic Studies of sludge disposal on the Cont-
inental Shelf and technical director of the Environmental Protection
Agency Baseline Study of the New York Bight. She also serves as an
expert witness on ocean outfalls and ocean disposal of wastes, and
has managed several studies for the Environmental Protection Agency
and Raytheon in the past.
Geraldine is Ecosystems Editor of Environmental Decisions, and
her society memberships include the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the American Association of Limnology and
Oceanography, the International Association on Water Research, the
Marine Technology Association and the Water Pollution Control
Federation. Her biography appears in American Men and Women of
Science, and her hobbies include gardening, scuba diving and needle
point. In 1974, she was given a professional chemist rating from
the American Institute of Chemists.
-- 30 --
FORD & GREATO LIBRARY
center
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Marie T. Dias
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Executive Director for the Children's World Day-Care Center
in Boston, Marie T. Dias / has been named one of the Ten Outstanding
Young Women of the Year for 1975. Mrs. Dias is the daughter of
Jaques C. and Vera M. Bembry of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
As the Executive Director for Children's World Day-Care Center
in Boston, Massachusetts, Marie T. Dias cares about the future
of our children. She obtained her Masters of Education in Admin-
istration From Harvard University in 1972 and is currently a
doctoral candidate in Education at Boston University. Before her
current position, she was Day-Care Coordinator for the New Urban
League in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Every summer since 1967, she
has taught in the Milton Academy Enrichment Program in Milton,
Massachusetts.
Consistently involved in civic and community affairs, Mrs.
Dias is Vice President and on the Board of Directors for the
United Way to Massachusetts Bay, President and Board Member of
the United Black Appeal, Inc., on the Board of Directors for the
National Black United Fund, Inc., and Vice President and Board
Member of the Massachusetts VITA Program. Marie received a schol-
arship in 1971-72 to attend Harvard University, then a Black
Analysis Fellowship and a Whitney Young Fellowship in 1974-75
to attend Boston University. In 1973, she was awarded a Certi-
ficate of Outstanding Achievement from the Roxbury Action Program.
-- 30 --
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Karen Ruth Keesling
Falls Church, Virginia
Karen Ruth Keesling, the director of the White House Office of
Women's Programs, has been named one of the Ten Outstanding Young
Women of America for 1975. Miss Keesling is the daughter of Paul W.
and Ruth S. Keesling of Wichita, Kansas.
Karen Keesling believes in her work as a public servant. In
July of 1974, she began working as a Staff Assistant in the Volunteer
Division for the Committee to Refelect the President. After the election,
she became Executive Secretary and Secretary's Advisor on the HEW
Committee of Rights and Responsibilities.
Prior to her governmental work, Miss Keesling was Assistant
Dean of Women at the University of Kansas from 1970-72, and Executive
Director of the Intercollegiate Association of Women Students from
1969-71.
Deeply interested in women's organizations, Karen is National
Young Careerist Chairman for the National Federation of Business and
Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. A member of the National ERA
Ratification Council since 1972, she was a member of the United States
Delegation to the 1975 United Nations World Conference for International
Women's Year.
This year Miss Keesling was named to Personalities of the South
and to Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans.
-- 30 --
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Marjorie Fine Knowles
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Law Professor Marjorie Fine Knowles has been named one of
the Ten Outstanding Young Women of America for 1975. Ms. Knowles
is the daughter of Jesse J. and Roslyn L. Fine of New York, New York.
Recently promoted to Professor of Law at the University of
Alabama School of Law, Marjorie Knowles graduated with honors from
Harvard Law School in 1965. Since that time, she has constantly
been involved in the governmental process.
A leader in the area of Equal Rights for Women, Ms. Knowles
is an active member of numerous organizations including the National
Conference on Women and the Law and Equal Rights for Women in
Education Task Force. She presently serves as ERA project consultant
for the California Commission on the Status of Women and is on the
board of directors for the Women's Action Alliance in New York and
the Ms. Foundation for Women.
Her interests in education, University activities and politics
have kept her quite busy on many committees and advisory groups such
as the Graduate and Faculty Scholarships Committee and the Alabama
Women's Political Caucus.
Voted Woman of Achievement in 1974 by the Tuscaloosa BPW,
Marjorie is the author of several articles published in professional
journals and newsletters.
-- 30
GRATOR
FORD
LIBRARY
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Sandra Kay LeBeau
Eagle Butte, South Dakota
Tribal Councilwoman Sandra Kay LeBeau has been named one of
the Ten Outstanding Young Women of the Year for 1975. Mrs. LeBeau
is the daughter of Ione Bordeaux of Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Sandra Kay LeBeau works very hard as a leader for her tribe,
The Cheyenne River Sioux. A social worker for the State of South
Dakota, and then a counselor at the University of South Dakota
from 1971-74, she is :now a tribal councilwoman for the people in
her district. She is chairman for both the Housing and the Health,
Education and Welfare Committees, and a member (fo the Cultural
Center Committee of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She is a board
member for the South Dakota Indian Education Association, Youth
Development and Recreation, Inc., the Cheyenne River Community College,
and the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte Cooperative School Board.
Currently a member of the Task Force on Indian Women Heritage in
South Dakota, Sandra has been a member of the Minnecojou Cultural
Society since 1962. Educated at the University of South Dakota, she
received her BS in Education in 1967 and her MA in Educational
Psychology and Guidance in 1972. One of her many honors includesa
Star Blanket that was awarded to her by the Tiyospaye Council in 1974.
-- 30 --
COMMON FORD LIBRARY
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Colleen Ann Metternich
DeKalb, Illinois
Christian Education Director at Northern Illinois Univ-
ersity, Colleen Ann Metternich/ has been named one of the Ten
Outstanding Young Women of the Year for 1975. Colleen is the
daughter of Marcus and Martha Metternich of Carthage, Illinois.
A former Miss Illinois and winner of the Grand Talent Contest
at the Miss America Pageant in 1974, Colleen Ann Metternich is
presently Christian Education Director at Northern Illinois
University. Prior to taking this position, she was a performer
with the 1974-75 USO Asian Christmas Tour, for which she received
the Outstanding Service Award from the Department of State. Her
current civic activities include membership in the League of Women
Voters and her position as Assistant Coordinator of Freedom Train
Entertainment for the Peoria Bicentennial Commission.
Before becoming Miss Illinois, Colleen was instructor of
music and speech in the Lowpoint-Washburn School District from
1972-1974. Then, she worked for one year as a housemother and
counselor in a home for the emotionally disturbed sponsored by
the Hancock County Mental Health Association. Miss Metternich re-
ceived her BA in 1972 from Knox College, where she was elected ins
into Phi Beta Kappa and was chosen as One of the Top Ten College
Girls in America by Glamour Magazine.
-- 30 --
FORD is GERALD LIBRARY
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Sharon Raney Pallone
Little Rock, Arkansas
The corporation director for SCAN Volunteer Services, Inc.,
Sharon Raney Pallone, has been named one of the Ten Outstanding
Young Women of the Year for 1975. Mrs. Pallone is the daughter of
Dallas Poe and Helen Maye Raney of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sharon R. Pallone has made remarkable progress in the field
of child abuse counseling, for both the parents and the children.
Founder and Director of Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Volunteer
Services, Inc., Mrs. Pallone received national attention in a popular
national women's magazine for the energetic and highly successful
volunteer efforts of her organization. Before starting SCAN in
1972, she founded the Arkansas Laubauch Literacy Council, which led
to the organization of the Arkanaas Literacy Council in 1967.
Because of her expertise and innovations in child abuse coun-
seling, Sharon has been asked to be a consultant and lecturer at
numerous Child Abuse and Social Work Conferences all acrpss the
nation and to serve-on various Arkansas state and local Child
Protection Agency Boards. In 1974, Mrs. Pallone received the
Outstanding Service in Human Relations Award from the Miles Chapel
Church, while SCAN Volunteer Services, Inc. was named by the
National Jaycees as one of the Top 100 Programs in the United States.
-- 30 --
FORD of GERALD LIBRARY
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Barbara Taylor Welander
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Architect Barbara Taylor Welander has been named one of the
Ten Outstanding Young Women of America for 1975. Mrs. Welander is
the daughter of W. Ralph and Cornelia Poppy Taylor of Mount Pleasant,
Iowa.
In 1974, Barbara Welander became the only woman architect
registered in the state of Iowa. As an Iowa State University graduate
with a bachelor's degree in architecture, she has completed many
years of training with several architectural and engineering firms.
During the past summer, she has been employed by the FHA as project
inspector.
A corporate member of the American Institute of Architects,
Mrs. Welander's abilities as a leader reach far beyond her chosen
career. She is currently state vice president of the Iowa Veterinary
Medical Association Auxiliary, township chairman for the Henry County
Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and a member of the Mount Pleasant CBD
Development executive planning committee.
Active in numerous fund-raising and membership drives, she has
campaigned for the Mount Pleasant Community Chest, the Henry County
Cancer Association and the Girl Scout Shining Trail Council. Church
work is also quite important to Barbara who is chairman of the board
of deacons and a member of several church committees.
-- 30 --
GERALD FORD LIB:
DO NOT RELEASE PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18
Donna Brownsberger Zajonc
Klamath Falls/ Oregon
Salem,
Psychiatric Nurse Donna Brownsberger Zajonc has been
named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Women of America for
1975. Mrs. Zajonc is the daughter of Joe H. and Lois Browns-
berger of Appleton City, Missouri.
Donna Zajonc is involved with people. She works with
minority groups, the business community and state and local
governments. The coauthor of a grant for the first Indian
alcoholism project funded by the state of Oregon, she assisted
as it later developed into a large, multi-service alcoholism
program. She also initiated and developed plans for a dental
clinic with special emphasis on dental education and serving
school-age children.
Quite active with the League of Women Voters, Mrs. Zajonc
is presently chairman of the Government Services Committee. In
addition, she serves on the state board of directors for the
Alliance Concerned with School-Age Parents and participates in
the activities of the American Nurses Association, the Substance
Abuse Association and the Oregon Alcohol and Health Association.
While seeking a master's degree in public affairs in health
service from the University of Oregon, Donna is working as a
psychiatric nurse and counselor at a Methodone Outpatient Clinic.
-- 30 --