Local woman selected to attend prestigious leadership retreat
Washington, DC – After a nationwide search for top college students, the Network of enlightened Women ( NeW), the nation’s premier organization for young, conservative women, proudly invited Macy Wilbanks of Calhoun to attend the Young Women’s Leadership Retreat. Wilbanks was selected as one of approximately 50 women to attend this exclusive leadership training.
The 2016 Young Women’s Leadership Retreat was held from July 14 - 17 at RandolphMacon College in Ashland, Va. This application-only leadership program invites conservative and leadershipfocused college women (incoming and current) from across the country to attend. Students were selected from an applicant pool of more than 250 women from across the country and were chosen based on their academic achievements, extracurricular activities and essay submission.
“I believe that when highly goal oriented people congregate with strong purpose in a manner such as this, they have the power to use their innate abilities to pave the way and lead in whichever causes they believe in, and I believe that I would be an exemplary fit in helping to be one of these young women paving the way for others,” said Wilbanks.
Due to the high demand for this program, the Young Women’s Leadership Retreat doubled this year, offering one track for incoming freshmen and one track for upperclassmen. Personalized workshops were focused on the distinct challenges each group will experience. The two tracks merged at points during the retreat for panel discussions, leadership training, mentoring and team building events. Speakers included Eliana Johnson of National Review, Ashe Schow of the Washington Examiner and W. Bradford Wilcox of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.
“Many women arrived on campus and had no idea what to expect in terms of the cultural and political environment,” said NeW President Karin Agness. “This retreat prepares young women to thrive on campus and to stand up for conservative ideas.”
About the Network of Enlightened Women (NeW):
NeW identifies, educates and trains the next generation of conservative women leaders. Organized as book clubs on college campuses, NeW members meet regularly to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing women today as well as current political issues. Many NeW chapters host debates, speakers, and participate in philanthropic efforts on their campuses and in their communities. NeW also has young professional chapters in Washington, DC and New York City, NY.