The Women's Campaign School at Yale Holds Summer Training Session

The Women’s Campaign School (WCS) at Yale University will hold its eighth annual summer training session on the Yale campus this week, July 18-22.

Wholly non-partisan, the WCS helps women contemplating political careers through a program comprising lectures, seminars, mock campaigns and case studies.

The five-day session follows the typical campaign timeline, from making the decision to run for office through what to do on Election Day. Other topics include fundraising, staffing, polling, public speaking, campaign messages and slogan making, free and paid media exposure, ethics, Websites and the candidate’s image.

Diverse professionals from the political arena-from public relations specialists to elected officials-serve as instructors. Among the many notables on this year’s faculty are WCS graduates Stephanie Sanchez and Erica Henri; former Connecticut Secretary of State Pauline Kezer; political pollster and television pundit Jeffrey Pollock; television producer Diane Smith; and Connecticut State Representative Denise Merrill.

The WCS has traditionally drawn students from around the world and across the nation. The 59 women and one man enrolled in this year’s session represent 24 states as well as Mexico and the Cayman Islands.

Guest speakers for luncheon and dinner events include Donald Green, the A. Whitney Griswold Professor of Political Science at Yale University; syndicated humorist Regina Barreca; the present Connecticut Secretary of State, Susan Bysiewicz; and the former Attorney General of Rhode Island, Arlene Violet.

Best-selling author and radio personality Dr. Judy Kuriansky and Connecticut State Senator Toni Harp will participate in graduation ceremonies on Sunday, July 22.