Dietrich is AAUW Woman of Achievement

Patricia R. Dietrich (Pat), long-time member of the Arcadia Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), was recently honored with AAUW’s most prestigious award, Woman of Achievement.

Pat Dietrich (r) receives award from Joyce McGregor

This award is given by individual branches to a person who has exemplified the AAUW mission statement, promoting equity and education for women and girls and who has achieved recognition in her profession.

AAUW members appreciate Pat’s very important contribution to the chapter and the community. She has been a member of AAUW since 1969 and has held many positions in the organization. However, she is best known for her seven-year role as AAUW’s very capable, efficient, and talented publicity chairman. She continues to work faithfully with the local press to provide information to the community about the activities and accomplishments of AAUW. The articles she writes and the pictures she submits have provided the public with information about AAUW’s programs and have encouraged outreach with helpful information to those who are interested.

Pat has served as AAUW co-chairman of Thursday Morning Books, and was a valued committee member of the Festive Fare.   Pat presently is a member of the Tech Trek committee, interviewing middle school girls who apply for the Tech Trek summer Math/Science Camps held on college campuses to encourage girls to pursue studies in math and science.  Pat is skilled at interviewing the young ladies, and her warm way makes them feel comfortable with the interview process.

Pat is also involved in various community activities.  She serves as publicity chairman for the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) and is a member of the School Grant Committee. She is a volunteer at the Arboretum, and an active member of the Pasadena Presbyterian Church where she has taught Sunday School, served on the Pastoral Aid Committee, and currently sings in the Kirk Choir. Pat is a graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN, where she was a member of the Debate Team, the newspaper staff, Forensics Chair, Augsburg College Choir, and a member of the Writer’s Club which began a Creative Night where students, faculty and friends could exhibit their fine-arts projects. After teaching English for a year in Minnesota, she followed her older sister to Southern California and earned her Master’s Degree in English from the University of Southern California (USC), where she was a teaching assistant, teaching college freshman English.

Upon graduating from USC, Pat taught English at Covina High School for four years.  After she married and started a family, she took a hiatus from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom. Later she became an English/Fine Arts teacher in the El Monte/Rosemead Adult School, where she taught for 30 years. Pat was married to Earl Dietrich, her loving husband of 49 years, who has passed away. They have four girls: Heidi, a university voice teacher in Dallas, TX; Christine, a substitute teacher who recently moved back to California from Alaska; Nancy, the director of Children’s Ministries at a Presbyterian church in Dublin, CA; and Debbie, an elementary teacher in Oceanside.  She is the proud grandmother of eight.

— By Joyce McGregor