Saturday afternoon at the 2024 NeW Leadership Retreat in Boston, Massachusetts, students listened to a panel of NeW alumni share advice on standing firm as a conservative woman in the workplace. The panel was moderated by Kirsten Golinski, NeW’s Development Manager.
NeW alumni Julia Canzano (Boston College ‘21) and Emma Foley (Boston College ‘22) recently graduated from college and have already begun successful careers. Julia is the program manager at Boston College High School and coaches track and field there. In 2019, she founded and served as the NeW chapter president at Boston College. Emma is a content manager at National Review and served as the president of NeW at Boston College.
Julia and Emma reflected on the time spent running their NeW chapter. They shared their struggles, such as getting the group recognized by the school’s administration, COVID lockdowns in 2020 with “weird rules,” and a hostile campus environment during the 2020 election year. “That year was definitely very interesting for being a conservative on campus,” Julia said.
Emma explained that despite living in a “deep, deep blue” state, Julia and Emma are proof that conservative women “do exist” and that they can find each other. Emma advised chapter leaders in attendance to focus on growing their chapters when it is not an election year because election cycles are busy for political organizations on campus. She also said it is essential to build community and let other conservative women on campus know that NeW exists and that they can get involved.
Julia encouraged attendees to build relationships with other NeW leaders as much as possible during the retreat “because they might pay off in the long run.” Emma also advised the girls to network and form friendships at the retreat. “Focus on learning about everyone you can while you’re here,” Emma said.
Kirsten asked the alumni to provide their “dos and don’ts” for the attendees’ first jobs and internships. Julia said she recently reviewed internship applications and was “shocked” at the poorly written cover letters and the applicants’ lack of initiative. She advised the girls to focus on the “easy things,” such as presenting themselves professionally, proofreading everything they send in, and sending a thank you note after the interview. She said those efforts “will make you stand out so far and above all of your peers.
Emma advised the girls not to get their “attire advice from TikTok” but instead pay attention to what older women in the office wear. She encouraged the girls to utilize NeW’s “great professional development.” She also advised attendees to always have a positive attitude, be willing to help, and never complain.
Julia and Emma shared stories of what it is like being a conservative woman in the workforce. Emma explained that since she works for conservative media outlets, she has not faced trouble for her beliefs, but that in college, she faced backlash, particularly for being “unapologetically pro-life.” Emma said that after posting on Instagram that she attended the March for Life, she received mixed reactions from friends. Because of this experience, Emma advised the chapter leaders in attendance not to hide their beliefs and to be themselves.
Julia expressed that after leaving NeW to work at her catholic high school, most of her new co-workers are liberal. Julia said that when working in a liberal or apolitical environment, knowing when to choose your battles is essential. “Bring it forward in a professional manner. As long as you do that professionally, you’ll be okay,” said Julia. She also advised students not working in politics to unite with co-workers over shared faith and religious beliefs.
Emma and Julia were both fellows in NeW’s Student Media Fellowship. A student asked them about their experience as fellows. Julia said received a job offer because of an interview she was offered from the fellowship. She encouraged attendees to participate in the fellowship, even if they are not interested in media, because through the program, they will learn great interview and writing skills, which are helpful in any field.
Emma also encouraged students to participate because it is “a lot of fun,” it provides excellent networking opportunities with other students, and it allows them to hear from leading journalists in the media industry.
Julia and Emma’s panel was an excellent way to encourage attendees to utilize NeW’s resources to succeed in the workforce. The alumnae imparted helpful advice and stories to the students. Chapter leaders left feeling empowered and capable.
