PLEN

Chatham University is a founding member of PLEN (the Public Leadership Education Network), a coalition of women’s colleges and universities that offers Washington DC-based seminars and internships.

The Center offers scholarships for Chatham students to attend PLEN Seminars throughout the year, awarded on a rolling basis. These trips are typically attended by pre–law students (Law and Legal Advocacy; Public Policy Seminars), science majors (Women & Science/Technology Policy Seminar), and for those with more general policy interests. Participants in PLEN seminars or internships have credit-earning opportunities.

Apply for a PLEN Scholarship

Want to attend a PLEN seminar? The Center coordinates applications to the PLEN program. Get started by completing the application for a 2024-2025 VanKirk Scholarship.

Contact the PCWP at pcwp@chatham.edu for additional information about conference registration, credit, and financial assistance for participation.

Support for PLEN Scholarships is provided by Tom and Bonnie VanKirk ‘81

Upcoming PLEN Seminars

Health Policy

October 14-18

Scholarship Application Deadline: September 18, 2024

Public Policy

January 6-10, 2025

Scholarship Application Deadline: TBD

Global Policy

March 17-21, 2025

Scholarship Application Deadline: TBD

PLEN Seminar Scholarship Application

Name

First Name

Last Name

Student ID#

Which seminar are you interested in applying for?

Major

Graduation Year

GPA

Have you received funding for attending a PLEN seminar in the past?

yes

If yes, please indicate the program and year

Why would you like to participate in this program?

How do you see this program contributing to your professional development?

What skills do you hope to specifically gain from this program?

How would you define the importance of gender for this program?

What Chatham Students Say About PLEN

Photo of a young woman holding up a sign that says, "PLEN taught me...important questions to ask regarding my salary and benefits."

Photo of a young woman standing in the Capitol under a sign that says Speaker of then House Nancy Pelosi

Photo of a young woman holding a sign that reads "PLEN taught me to always be CONFIDENT!"

PLEN's Women and Congress seminar effectively taught me how to become a world ready woman—one who can officially tell people, without fear, that she wants to be President someday.

—Ava Roberts, Class of 2022
PLEN has taught me to speak up and stand out! I am thankful for my experience and I plan on taking the advice given to me to really making a difference in the world.

—Mars Touloumes, Class of 2021
PLEN taught me important questions to ask regarding my salary and benefits.

—Lalah Williams, Class of 2022