College Club West (CCW) was founded in 1926 (as Lakewood College Club) to provide opportunities for college-educated women and now offer scholarships for women seeking collegiate education. The club plans to celebrate its 100-year-anniversary in high style on April 24 at the Cleveland Yachting Club.
“This is a group of like-minded people. They are people who want to learn something new. They want to socialize but they want to give scholarships. That is really our biggest focus,” said Club President Claire Stair.
The Centennial Celebration includes dinner and a program “Through the Years with College Club West presented by Women of History.” There will also be a slide show of memorabilia that focuses on many past and present members of this active group. A shirt that displays a CCW centennial logo is available for purchase by members for a limited time.
Committee members have also assembled memorabilia for library displays. The materials will be on display in January at Lakewood Library, February at Rocky River Library and March at Porter Library – Westlake.
100 Years and Counting
The then-named Lakewood College Club (LCC) was started in 1926, according to a publication about the LCC by Margaret Manor Butler.
“The college-trained woman found herself the first of her sex in history to have both the intellectual preparation and the social emancipation to explore a whole new exciting, ever-changing world. She viewed with interest, enthusiasm, and sometimes alarm the three recent inventions having the greatest impact on society — the automobile, the radio, and motion pictures,” Butler wrote.
According to the CCW website, “Jean Dawson was elected the first president and fifteen members were named to serve as the Board of Trustees. At the end of the first year, membership had risen to 204. The budget was $585, with three interest groups: Drama, French, and Psychology.”
The LCC became a nonprofit in 1955. It changed its name to College Club West in 1980 as the group expanded to cover a wider geographical area.
The CCW now, “offers women living on the west side of Cleveland with four-year degrees and registered nurses opportunities to learn, socialize & participate in fun, meaningful activities.” There are more than 150 active members in CCW, and club interest groups meet monthly in members’ homes. Membership in the club is open to any woman who has a bachelor’s degree.
How it all works
Several main committees oversee the general business of CCW. One such committee, the Scholarship Committee, oversees applications for its annual scholarship grant program. Scholarship Grants are awarded to qualified Greater Cleveland women. Applicants must be at least 25-years-old and enrolled in a 4-year degree-granting program or graduate program, or in at least the third year of a bachelor’s program. Recipients are selected based on financial need as well as academic record, goals and maturity. Grants range from $2,000-$5,000. Up to six grants will be awarded this year. Applications are being accepted with a deadline for applications for this year’s grant program of March 16, 2026. Winners will be announced in June.
“We are always looking for new members so anybody, who is interested, please join us. The only requirements are that you are a woman and a college graduate or a nurse,” said former CCW President Cheryl Bendik,
For more CCW information and its scholarship grant program, visit the CCW website.
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