NEW Leadership Oregon is an intensive, six-day, residential leadership training program specifically designed to introduce Oregon's college women to opportunities for public leadership. By participating in the NEW Leadership Oregon program, college women find out why and how to get involved in politics through interaction with Oregon's past and present women officeholders, candidates, policy specialists, and activists. Hands-on skills-building workshops will teach women to lead by taking action.

The Participants

NEW Leadership Oregon is dedicated to creating a diverse leadership environment by selecting participants with diverse geographical, ideological, ethnic, social, political, and academic backgrounds. Their common trait will be that they are the best and the brightest women from Oregon's colleges and universities.

The Founder and Executive Director of NEW Leadership Oregon is Professor Melody Rose, a professor of political science at Portland State University. Her teaching focus is on American government, the presidency, political parties, public policy, and women and politics. Her research areas include reproductive politics, divided government, Oregon politics, and vote-by-mail. Professor Rose is a frequent media spokesperson for the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government and is active in local politics with an emphasis on education policy and women's rights. She received her M.P.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Cornell University.