NeW Essay Contest

Submit an essay for the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship.

NeW was started on the belief that there should be a place on campus for conservative women. As a part of our programming, we are thrilled to host our annual Essay Contest.  

The 2024 Essay Contest will close on March 31.

Be sure to follow us on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter, or sign up for our NeWsletter to stay informed about the winners of the Essay Contest. 

The 2024 Essay Contest prompt:

On many college campuses today, conservative views are discouraged, dismissed, or silenced. The Network of enlightened Women published You’re Not Alone: The Conservative Woman’s Guide to College to provide conservative young women with a guide for what they may face on campus. In the book, conservative students report dealing with hostile liberal professors, bad treatment from classmates, and obstacles from the school administration. What challenges have you faced as a student on campus specific to your beliefs? What are some successful strategies you recommend? Why do you think finding conservative community on campus is important? Should universities make more of an effort to encourage civil discourse and foster intellectual diversity? How can students themselves lead the effort to build relationships across the political aisle? Should professors refrain from bringing their personal opinions into the classroom?  

Who: Female high school juniors and seniors and college students

Start Date: Friday, March 1, 2024 at 9:00am ET

Deadline: Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

Prize: $1,000 for the first-place winners of the College and High School Category. The first-place essays will have the opportunity to be published.

Thank you to our 2024 Essay Contest co-sponsor, the Washington Examiner.

To read the Official Contest Rules, click here.

Read the winning 2023 College Essay and the winning High School Essay

For questions that are not answered in the description above, please email kayla@enlightenedwomen.org.

NeW is excited to announce the winner of the College Category of the 2023 Essay Contest is Lena Branch, a student at the University  of Iowa. Congratulations, Lena!

NeW is excited to announce the winner of the High School Category of the 2023 Essay Contest is Beverly Richardson, a student at Mechanicsville High School. Congratulations, Beverly! 

NeW is excited to announce the winner of the College Category of the 2022 Lead Like a Lady Essay Contest is Maya Tharoo, a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis. Congratulations, Maya!

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