Media representatives' contact:

Michael Hobbs, Director of Communications

mhobbs@peace.edu • 919-508-2206

Peace College

Preparing North Carolina women to seek and serve in elected and appointed statewide office

RALEIGH (March 17, 2008) - The North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service is accepting applications for its 2008 Summer Institute, an intensive summer leadership program that prepares women to seek elected or appointed office.

The Summer Institute will be held at Peace College in Raleigh over two extended weekends - June 26-29 and July 17-20. Up to 20 women will be selected to participate in the 2008 Institute. Participants will hone their leadership skills, prepare for political campaigning and develop tools for effective and ethical public service. Featured presenters will include state and local elected officials, professors, media experts, leadership trainers, noted political strategists and successful Summer Institute graduates.

The deadline for all applications for the Summer Institute is April 30. Application information is available online at www.nccwps.org or by calling 919-508-2308. Tuition assistance and assistance with transportation or childcare costs is also available for qualified candidates.

The Summer Institute is open to women of all backgrounds, interests, and political affiliations. Now in its fifth year, the Institute has graduated more than 50 women who are actively making a difference in their communities, including women who have sought and won election to public office.

Summer Institute graduates had praise for the training they received during the sessions.

Veronica Williamson, a 2005 Summer Institute graduate, was elected to the Winterville, N.C., Board of Alderman in November. "I used many of the techniques and strategies from the Summer Institute in my campaign," said Williamson. "This will be the first time two women have served on this board in the town's 200-year history. Thanks to the NCCWPS Summer Institute Program for helping me to achieve this goal."

Jean Reaves, a 2007 Summer Institute graduate, who has filed to run for N.C. House District 7, said: "The Summer Institute has been invaluable to me. I am currently referring back to the things that we shared.''

Phyllis Gorham, another 2005 Summer Institute graduate, said: "I am a Superior Court judge in New Hanover and Pender Counties (Wilmington), appointed by Gov. Easley in April, 2007. I am up for election this year for an eight-year term. I am the first female Superior Court judge in the history of my district and the second in the history of my 12-county division. The Summer Institute will always be a valuable part of my experience as an appointed and elected official, during campaigning and well as in the everyday course of my position. I have used the skills I attained at the institute to work more effectively with others."

The North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service, founded in June 2003 and housed at Peace College, is a non-partisan, nonprofit statewide organization that prepares women to seek and serve in elected and appointed positions. The Center is the first organization in North Carolina to address the need for non-partisan recruitment, training, and mentoring to increase the number of women in appointed and elected office. For additional information, visit the Center website at www.nccwps.org or contact Dana Jennings, CEO, at djennings@nccwps.org.

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