NEW Leadership® Mississippi (NEW MS) is a statewide public leadership training program at the Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy (CWRPP)—a unit of the Mississippi University for Women (The W)—that furthers The W’s mission to advance women’s education and leadership development. The non-partisan, six-day program is designed to educate, empower, and encourage the state’s undergraduate students to become politically active, take on leadership roles in public service, and deepen women's representation in state politics.
During the NEW MS Summer Institute, students will meet women working in politics in the state (including many elected officials), learn about women in politics and Mississippi politics, and develop and practice leadership skills through panel discussions, workshops, and hands-on projects. Participants earn two college credits in women's studies or political science (POL/WS 365 Mississippi Women in Politics) that may be transferred to the institution they attend. After the summer institute, participants become part of NEW Leadership’s national network of distinguished alumni.
Applications are due April 1.
Students will receive notice of their acceptance or rejection by Monday, April 14.
Admitted students will be sent a packet that must be completed and returned by April 28.
The 2025 Institute will take place May 18 – May 23 on The W’s Columbus campus.
Students are responsible for arranging transportation to Columbus, MS on Sunday, May 18 and for their departure on Friday, May 23. Housing, meals, instructional materials, and transportation to and from Jackson, MS for the program's trip to the Capitol are provided at no cost to participants. In addition, a full tuition scholarship covers the cost of each student's enrollment at The W, so the two hours of college credit are also free to students.
NEW MS is free to students thanks to the generous financial support of The W, the Ascend Fund (a collaborative fund dedicated to accelerating the pace of change toward gender parity in U.S. politics), and private donors.
NEW Leadership® Mississippi is open to undergraduate students enrolled in any Mississippi college or university and Mississippi residents enrolled in out-of-state schools. We are committed to diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, political ideology, and sexual orientation. We strongly encourage applications from any student committed to advancing women's representation and leadership.
The application process is competitive and all applications received by April 1 will be given full consideration by the NEW MS Admissions Committee, which is composed of the program director and faculty advisors. Each year, the Committee selects students with the intent of creating a class of individuals who represent diverse backgrounds and experiences and who demonstrate both leadership potential and a passion for increasing women's political representation in the state.
Four primary criteria guide the competitive selection process:
Each year, the Admissions Committee is forced to reject applicants because of the limited space. Students who are accepted should be aware that they are being given an opportunity that someone else wanted and is unable to have. In completing this application, you are making a commitment to attend the Summer Institute if you are accepted. In the event that an emergency prevents your attendance, students should notify the program director, Dr. Chanley Rainey (newleadership@muw.edu) as soon as possible to increase the chances that another applicant can be invited.
All NEW Leadership® Mississippi participants must reside in the residence halls during the entire program May 18-23, 2025 and participate fully in all scheduled activities in order to receive credit in the associated course, POL/WS 365 Mississippi Women in Politics.
In completing this application, you acknowledge that you are aware of these requirements and agree, if accepted, to make every effort to meet this commitment.
Applications are due by midnight onTuesday, April 1. Fill out the web application below to apply today or download and fill out the PDF application, then email it (along with your resume) to Dr. Chanley Rainey at newleadership@muw.edu.