NeW at American University has been nominated for “Legacy Chapter” award at this year’s National Conference. We sat down with former president Grayson Campo, to hear more about the journey her NeW chapter has taken in the last 3 years! 

Q: How long has your chapter been around?

NeW at AU was established in 2014.

Q: What are a few significant events or moments that your NeW chapter has been a part of in the past? 

Bringing Carly Fiorina to campus, hosting Patrice Lee, annual Gentleman’s Showcase,  Hosting Congressman Brian Mast, Communications Training with the Leadership Institute, NeW Town Hall with the American University College Democrats, Co-hosting a bipartisan discussion with Anna Navarro and Patti Solis Doyle, Co-hosting Karl Rove, Co-hosting Sabrina Schaeffer.

Q: Does your NeW chapter have any traditions? 

Yes! Every October we head to the Georgetown Waterfront to eat Baked and Wired Cupcakes together! We also celebrate Friendsgiving together every October and participate in the Gentleman’s showcase in February.

Q: How has your chapter benefitted your campus? Have you formed any relationships with other chapters or clubs? (Zolpidem)

AU is a very liberal campus which has allowed our members to have productive dialogue with people who disagree with us. It’s allowed us and them to see a new perspective. We have a strong relationship with the AU College Republicans and have collaborated with the AU College Democrats too.

Q: How big is your chapter? Have you seen growth over the years? 

Our chapter has about 30 women has definitely grown over the years.

Q: What is some advice that you could give to other chapters regarding member growth? 

Bring food to your meetings, it motivates people to come! Having a meeting once per month that is more relaxed will allow the members to get to know each other on a more personal level. Getting involved at involvement fair tabling and posting on the Facebook School Pages are a great way to spread the word about the club happenings! 

Q: What direction do you see your chapter going in as you move forward? 

Growing and expanding. The club has a strong foundation with dedicated and empowered woman. I think the chapter will continue to have a strong impact on the campus.

Q: How has your chapter changed during your time there? How has it improved? Do you like the direction that it is moving in? 

The chapter started as a book club but has now evolved into a club that has dialogue on current events and controversial topics. We use articles to foster our discussions. Over time our members have grown closer together through social events and our club traditions like getting cupcakes in Georgetown. As time has gone on, other DC schools have established NeW chapters. We have been able to collaborate with them and support them during their events. We have gotten the opportunity to meet other women through the DC brunches. We have also been able to make a name for ourselves on campus and bring in big-name speakers. I am impressed and so happy with all the progress our chapter has made in such a short amount of time.

Q: What are some essential attributes of a well-functioning chapter? 

An e-board that is committed and engaged to the chapter and members. It’s vital that the e-board is on the same page and communicates clearly. Social media is also important to make sure the word is getting out about chapter events. Collaborating with other political clubs on campus to grow the presence of the club has been extremely successful.

Q: Have you had to work through any challenges as a chapter? How did your chapter handle that? 

The logistics of booking rooms and paperwork for speakers can get a little complicated with the Student Activities Office sometimes. Our e-board had to stay on top of everything to make sure we didn’t miss any deadlines or steps in order to ensure success. We worked together and delegated tasks to make sure we did everything correctly.

 Q: How has New impacted you as a conservative woman? 

It has given me the opportunity to meet some of my best friends who empower and support me as a conservative woman. It has also allowed me to listen to all types of opinions, perspectives, and stories of other women in our chapter. It’s also allowed me the opportunity to hear from some amazing conservative speakers.

Q: Do you have any general advice for other chapters? 

Collaborate with other conservative groups on campus and your school’s speakers bureau to host speakers. Use social media to your advantage and don’t get discouraged. Hard work pays off!