Cassandra James, Abigail Anthony, and Alexandra Orbuch decided that it was time that there was a space at Princeton University dedicated specifically to conservative women. They noted that while there are conservative clubs on campus, such as Clio and the Tory, there was no club directed solely at women and much of the leadership and membership of these clubs are conservative men. The Network of Enlightened Women seeks to be “a community for all women to empower other women through education, training, and community,” according to an email sent to Princeton listservs.
NeW’s mission is to “educate, equip, and empower conservative women to be leaders in their career fields and communities.” It is designed to provide a space where conservative women can share their opinions among other like-minded students, while also participating in events designed to improve leadership skills before students graduate and enter the job market, such as networking opportunities and LinkedIn photo days. Events will also include speakers who can speak to their professional experiences in areas such as academia and journalism. This provides members with the opportunity to hear from these women about life as a conservative woman in the workforce, where they can discuss not only the challenges which come with being conservative but also those which pertain to women specifically, such as being a mother and taking time off to spend with one’s child.
Cassandra James, the president of NeW, explained that the impetus for the club was “the absence of community” she felt when she arrived at Princeton, a feeling that is shared among conservative students at Princeton University. Alexandra Orbuch, the vice president of NeW, explained that it is “hard to find a community for conservative women on college campuses especially on a predominately liberal campus.” While she noted that she was ultimately able to find community through other campus clubs, such as The Tory and the observant Jewish community, there was no conservative female community to join when she arrived at Princeton.
Abigail Anthony, the treasurer of NeW, said that she envisions NeW providing a “social and casual environment, in which members participate when they are willing and able.” This is in contrast to many of the other conservative clubs on campus which require a form of action in order to participate. For example, members of the Tory can write articles on current events. However doing so requires one to be willing to put their name on articles espousing conservative perspectives, something which is not always easy on a liberal college campus, she explained. Additionally, as NeW is a community-building club, they plan on hosting social events, such as movie nights and coffee chats, in addition to their pre-professional events. These social events are designed to create the community which Cassandra and Alexandra felt was missing upon their arrival to campus.
Historically, many other female spaces on campus, such as the Woman’s Center, have ignored conservative values when holding events and recognizing clubs. They do not recognize Princeton Pro-Life; however, they do recognize Princeton Students for Reproductive Justice. In February, they are honoring “50 years of community and inclusion” with the event “Bad Fat Black Girl: Notes from a Trap Feminist.” Other recent events from the Women’s Center include “Sexual and Reproductive Justice” and “Black Queer Hoe Poetry Reading and Q&A.”
If you wish to join NeW, you can fill out this form and email with any questions.
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