We are excited to have Charlotte Townsend on our team this semester as our Fall 2020 Communications Intern. Charlotte is a senior at the College of Charleston where she co-founded and led the NeW chapter on campus.

How did you hear about NeW?
I first heard about NeW through a list of scholarships provided by my guidance counselor my senior year of high school. It was a scholarship to attend the NeW Leadership Retreat. I didn’t know much about it at the time, but I knew I was interested in politics and policy moving forward into my college career. The program said it would help me push through the political climate in college as a conservative, so I thought I would attend. While at Retreat, I met two juniors already attending the College of Charleston. By the end of the retreat, we ultimately decided that we needed to start a chapter, and here I am, three years later, having served as our Chapter’s President, now serving as a NeW Communications Intern, continuing to spread the message of conservatism.

Why is NeW important? 
NeW is important because of the exclusive networking opportunities it offers to young conservative women. I was vocal early on about my hopes to one day work for a conservative think tank in Washington DC.  Since then, the NeW Network has been integral in helping me attain that goal by pointing me to various opportunities with The Heritage Foundation. My career prospects post graduation are now incredibly more vast than many others my age, and that’s all because of NeW’s networking opportunities.

What is the most important conservative issue in your opinion?
Our fundamental right to freedom of speech is under threat on America’s college campuses and universities today. I did not realize until I entered college how this very basic liberty is being eroded through policies at publicly funded institutions. The process of trying to establish a NeW chapter on my campus was very eye-opening. Conservative voices are being censored due to mere disagreement from the campus left. Institutions of higher learning, which are supposed to be where different ideas are explored and values have, with few exceptions, become mostly lacking in diversity of thought.

If you could offer advice to college students, what would it be?
Work hard, but also remember to have fun doing it. Work or school often encompasses me and I end up being anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed. This mindset easily becomes unhealthy. This is why it’s incredibly important to surround yourself with friends who encourage you, and truly have your best interests in mind. You should also always remember to celebrate the little victories each day — it will help motivate you to get those bigger projects done. Don’t forget to reward yourself every once in a while.

Why were you interested in interning for NeW?
I thought interning for NeW during my senior year of college would be the best way to top off my college experience with the organization. NeW has been with me since before I began college at just 17-years-old. Because of my involvement, I am proud to say I will be leaving college and entering the professional world with forever friends, lifelong connections, and personal and professional transformation all because of my involvement with NeW.

What do you hope to gain from your internship?
Within this internship opportunity, I hope to gain more knowledge of and experience in the inner workings of a national non-profit organization. Working in communications, I’m very excited to learn more about marketing to the organization’s audience on various social media platforms, as well as being able to write blog posts and op-eds in promotion of the conservative message, as writing about my values and principles is one of my passions.