PLEN: Women and Congress

Meet Noa Elliott! Noa majors in economics and recently attended the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) seminar on Women and Congress. thanks to a grant from Newcomb College Institute. Read about Noa’s experience below:

Describe yourself and why you wanted to attend the PLEN seminar:

I wanted the opportunity to learn the important skills incredible women use to navigate the type of work I am passionate to engage with. PLEN introduced us to women who were at the very top of their fields and others who were finding success at the steps just a few ahead of us. I was thrilled about the opportunity to explore Washington, D.C., and to meet the people who are responsible for the operation of our nation and hear about their experiences as women.

What were your favorite parts of the conference?

PLEN offered us the opportunity not only to hear about a broad range of experiences that women had in navigating the world of federal government, but also to practice the skills they felt had been most useful. The combination of types of learning and teaching was great and not only catered to specific interests in policy and elected office, but also to broader professional development and empowerment practices. The opportunity to spend the week of the seminar with other women of similar interests and mindsets was incredible.

Highlight a speaker or a job site you visited:

My favorite session of the conference was when we had the opportunity to hear from professionals in our specific areas of policy interest. I loved the panel on Environmental Policy and felt that I saw women who were doing tangible work that I was excited to learn more about! The chance to combine all of the skills-based speakers with my personal policy passions felt inspiring and highly relevant.

Tell us what you learned that you hope to never forget:

We are women in the world. There is nothing that we cannot achieve if we are confident and driven. Learning to negotiate a salary and network confidently are important parts of leadership and success!

Why should other students attend a PLEN conference?

You will be exposed to so many different ways to engage your passion. There are many ways to make a difference and the chance to see it happen from D.C. provides inspiration, context, and it is so much fun. It was really an unbeatable experience and I encourage every woman to take the opportunity.