Sunday, September 29, 2024, marks 20 years since the Network of enlightened Women (NeW) was founded. Over the past two decades, NeW has expanded to nearly 60 college campuses nationwide, fulfilling its goal of successfully educating, equipping, and empowering the next generation of conservative women.
NeW was founded by Karin Lips, who currently serves as its president, in 2004 at the University of Virginia. The organization started as a book club for conservative women on campus when Lips found out there wasn’t a place for conservative women to meet, discuss ideas, and find community. It quickly grew as women from other colleges heard of NeW and wanted to start their chapters. Since then, NeW chapters have sought to educate their communities through events in addition to book clubs, such as guest speaking engagements, philanthropic opportunities, debates, and other gatherings that advance its mission.
NeW’s 20th year brought many exciting events and opportunities. NeW chapters across the country hosted Riley Gaines, a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a 12-time All-American swimmer who advocates for the protection of women’s sports and spaces. Over the past two years, 12 NeW chapters have hosted Riley Gaines to speak on their campuses, with another five chapters scheduled to host Gaines this semester.
NeW also recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary Gala in Washington, DC. Students, supporters, and staff traveled to celebrate this milestone, which included a cocktail hour, dinner, and a program featuring US Senator Marsha Blackburn. As part of the event, Sen. Blackburn was presented with the 2024 Empowered Woman of the Year award by Karin Lips, president of NeW. This award is given annually to a principled leader who serves as a role model for conservative women.
In December 2023, Karin Lips celebrated the release of her book You’re Not Alone: The Conservative Woman’s Guide to College. This is the first guide explicitly made for conservative college women and is filled with advice from real students on topics like dealing with hostile professors, silencing pressure from classmates, and choosing which college to attend. The guide quickly became an Amazon Bestseller and received a Silver Award from the Nonfiction Authors Association. It has received glowing reviews from prominent figures of the conservative movement like Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Katie Pavlich, Editor of Townhall.com. This book has served as a resource for conservative women nationwide.
NeW has also provided exclusive opportunities for women in its network to have their writing published and to be interviewed by national publications. For example, Glamour magazine featured their interview with Ellie Porte earlier this month, a NeW alumna from American University, in an article exploring the current political climate on college campuses in anticipation of the 2024 presidential election. Other programs like Professional Development Week, Capitol Hill Intern Summit, and Leadership Retreat have allowed women to advance in the workplace, hear from conservative leaders, and become part of a vibrant network of like-minded peers.
Over the past two decades, NeW’s chapters and staff have grown dramatically and successfully impacted the lives of conservative women nationwide. This anniversary serves as a time to reflect on its achievements and look forward to NeW’s future. Happy Anniversary, NeW!
