Former U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) and George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government announce the resumption of the Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP) for 2022. The summer program for young women in junior high and high school is in partnership with George Mason and the Schar School.
Applications will be accepted through June 30 and questions regarding the program may be addressed to Comstock.ywlp@gmail.com.
The nonpartisan program is free to those who enroll.
The Young Women’s Leadership Program was founded by Comstock in 2013 when she served in the Virginia House of Delegates; the program continued as she served two terms in Congress representing Northern Virginia’s 10th District.
The program was founded to engage young women in grades 7 to 12 to help expand their education and career opportunities and maximize their personal potential by participating in informative sessions and panels with leading women in a variety of fields, including government, business, technology, medicine, the military, law enforcement, media, philanthropy, and more.
The idea behind the program is to “introduce young students to women leaders in our community in their work settings, with the mission of ‘if you can see it, you can be it,” Comstock said.
In 2019 some 115 young women participated in the program. The program was suspended for two years due to pandemic closures.
“I look forward to resuming the leadership program this summer for young women in our community and inspiring them to set ambitious education and career goals while providing them with opportunities to interact with a variety of women leaders in important professions that help them inform their life, education, and career goals,” Comstock said. “I have been blessed with the friendship and mentorship of so many amazing women leaders and I look forward to helping lift up the next generation of women leaders by bringing them together.”
“We look forward to former Congresswoman Comstock continuing her Young Women’s Leadership Program this summer,” said Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School. “The program brings together many talented women leaders who will inspire the next generation of young women.”