The NEW Leadership program aims to expand the participation and leadership of young women in politics.
The Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics (PCWP) at Chatham University once again hosted the National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership™ Pennsylvania annual event over the summer of 2023. Held each summer in the month of June, this weeklong intensive institute for women college students focused on the role of women in politics and policy making in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This year’s program brought 35 students from 22 different colleges and universities across Pennsylvania to Chatham’s Shadyside Campus to participate in NEW Leadership.
Practitioner-in-Residence, Marita Garrett, MAP ‘15, former mayor of Wilkinsburg Borough and founder and president of CIVICALLY, INC., led several networking sessions, panel discussions and presentations around women’s leadership. CIVICALLY, INC, is a social enterprise that focuses on community development by promoting civic and social literacy to instill self-reliance. In addition to Free Store Wilkinsburg, Community Conversations, she has established Fresh Market and initiatives for health education, urban farming, and others.
“The NEW Leadership program not only taught me invaluable skills, but also showed me that I can be the agent through which social change is made. Being in the presence of so many phenomenal, accomplished women has been incredibly motivating and has validated all the reasons why I wanted to pursue a career in politics. Thank you!”
Lauren Cox, political science ‘24
This year’s NEW Leadership program was supported by a grant from the EQT Foundation, which identifies and supports the efforts of the region to produce an abundant and well-trained workforce, create a diverse and economically viable business climate, and maintain an environmentally safe and stable infrastructure and The Shapira Foundation, which invests energy and financial capital in ideas, organizations, programs and people that demonstrate strong returns on social impact, both inside and outside the Jewish non-profit sector.
About the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University
The Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics (PCWP) at Chatham University is a non–partisan center devoted to fostering women’s public leadership through education, empowerment, and action. The first to focus on women’s political involvement in Pennsylvania, the PCWP integrates disciplinary knowledge, civic education, and coalition building while examining the intersection of women and public policy. The Center conducts candidate and advocacy trainings, offers educational programs in applied politics, and provides timely analysis on women’s issues. The Center is also home to the University’s membership in Project Pericles – a select group of liberal arts colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to promoting participatory citizenship and social responsibility. More information is available at www.chatham.edu/pcwp.