Annual program aims to educate, empower future women leaders
The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine will host an annual six-day undergraduate student leadership training program for women that aims to educate and empower young leaders.
Maine NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership runs from Thursday through Tuesday, June 2–7 at the Orono campus with trips to Augusta and Skowhegan.
A group of 28 students with a variety of majors and interests from colleges around the state will take part in the eighth residential conference that aims to strengthen political skills and build civic engagement.
Throughout the free program, students will participate in workshops hosted by women leaders from politics, business and education.
State Rep. Joyce Maker, R-Calais, and former state Rep. Anne Graham, D-North Yarmouth, will serve as Faculty in Residence. They will mentor the students and share their experiences from their time in the Legislature.
The students will learn skills including public speaking, networking and how to advocate for a cause and run for public office.
Students also will be addressed Friday night by Democratic Rep. Cyndi Munson, the first Asian-American woman to be elected to the Oklahoma State Legislature. Munson is an alumna of NEW Leadership at the University of Oklahoma and was featured in the documentary, “NextStepRun!” by Maine director Pamela Maus, which followed her and three other women on the campaign trail.
As part of the conference, students develop a political action project surrounding topics presented before the Maine Legislature. This year’s project builds off previous bills meant to regulate the use of potentially harmful chemicals used in manufacturing of products for children.
In addition to Maker and Graham, the students will be advised by former state Sen. and Rep. Debra Plowman, R-Hampden; Alison Sucy, former chief of staff to the speaker of the Maine House and former deputy chief of staff to the education commissioner; and Molly Bogart, a 2013 Maine NEW Leadership alumna.
On Monday, participants will tour the Statehouse in Augusta and the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan.
The students’ visit to the Statehouse will emphasize bipartisanship as they will be greeted by Rep. Ellie Espling, R-New Gloucester; Rep. Sara Gideon, D-Freeport; Sen. Dawn Hill, D-York; and Sen. Kim Rosen, R-Hancock.
While in Augusta, the students will have an opportunity to participate in an interview with Mary Herman, a former first lady of Maine, conducted by Jennifer Rooks of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. The students also will engage in panel discussions concerning the challenges of policymaking and making a difference in one’s community. State senators, representatives and prominent community organizers are scheduled to take part in the discussions.
Maine NEW Leadership alumni have gone on to serve their state and country in many ways. Recently, three NEW Leadership alumni represented UMaine in Washington D.C. as part of the Peter Madigan ’81 Congressional Internship Program. Allyson Eslin served in Sen. Angus King’s office, Ginger Kieffer served in Sen. Susan Collins’ office, and Natalie Goding served in U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s office. The students’ achievement, commitment to public service, and leadership skills honed through Maine NEW Leadership bolstered their applications to the competitive internship program.
Maine NEW Leadership is offered by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at UMaine with support from local sponsors. The program’s administrator is former Sen. Mary Cathcart. The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center is named after Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to serve in the U.S. House and Senate and the first woman to be nominated at a national convention to run for president of the United States. Maine NEW Leadership was developed to address the underrepresentation of women in politics and is designed to provide students with skills to help them become the next generation of effective civic and political leaders.
More information about Maine NEW Leadership is available online or by calling Cathcart at 944.1411.