2026 Women's History Project Woman of the Year Award Nominations Open
Click on the underlined section to open and download a form: 2026 Nomination Form. 
The Women's History Project of the Akron Area committee members recently met to begin the nomination process for the 2026 awards. They adopted the newly announced national theme of "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future."
As the nation prepares to celebrate America250 next year, the Women’s History Project is accepting nominations through November 1, 2025, for the 2026 Woman of the Year Award. Recipients of the 2026 award will be recognized at a luncheon on Wednesday, March 25th at St. George Fellowship Centre.
Anyone can make a nomination!
Woman of the Year Award categories are: courage, perseverance, imagination, faith, pioneer, inspiration, creativity, initiative, heroine, innovation, integrity, posthumous and woman to watch.
2025 Recepients:
Edna Boyle - Integrity
Dr. Georgette Constantinou - Pioneer
Kateri Hargrove-Montgomery - Initiative
Kim Haws Falasco - Inspiration
Margaret Maurer - Faith
Bev Shaffer - Creativity
Madhu Sharma - Courage
2065 Women's History Project Committee:
Theresa S. Beyerle, Ph.D., chair
Carrie Burrier
Katie Byard Carney
Kathleen "Kitty" Endres, Ph.D.
Amy Freels
Carrie Herman
Holli Mallak
Judy James
Towanda Mullins
Karen Hrdlicka
Rose Vance-Grom
Zulekha Sharp
Willette Riley
Leianne Neff Heppner
**The Women’s History Project of the Akron Area, Inc. became a program of the Summit County Historical Society of Akron, OH in 2013. The merger occurred during the 30th anniversary year for the Women’s History Project and in anticipation of the Society’s 90th anniversary in 2014.