Four students attending National Education for Women program

Four Salve Regina students have been invited to participate in the prestigious National Education for Women (NEW) leadership program this summer.

Savannah DaCruz ’17, Caitlin Downing ’17, Samantha Gisonni ’17 and Erica Manchester ’17 will attend NEW Leadership New England, a five-day leadership training program designed to educate and empower young women and give them the skills to be part of the next generation of women leaders. The annual residential program for undergraduate women is hosted at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, on the campus of Saint Anselm College.

DaCruz’s recent leadership experiences – facilitating the Mercy Center’s winter retreat and the Service Plunge – encouraged her to apply for the program. “What I find most rewarding is that I can make a positive impact in another person’s life through leadership,” she said. DaCruz, who hopes to become a psychologist and a writer, feels that the program will teach her how to lead in different settings and throughout everyday life.

Downing’s experience in the Nuala Pell Leadership Program motivated her to apply for the program. “I realized I enjoy not only interacting with fellow peers that share similar goals, but also hearing from and interacting with political leaders and influential employers in Rhode Island and beyond,” she said. Downing, who is majoring in English communications and literature, hopes that the program will hone her leadership and public speaking skills and provide her with a great deal of experience in professionalism and networking.

Manchester, who was nominated by her professors, hopes to become a stronger leader by attending the program. “Most of the time I just lead by example, but I know sometimes being a leader requires more than that,” she said. Manchester, who aspires to become a physical therapist, feels that this program will help her develop the leadership skills necessary to stand out on graduate school applications and in her chosen field.