Last week, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick won the special election for Florida’s 20th congressional district. When she is sworn in, the number of women in Congress overall will increase to 145 (a new record), the number of women in the House will increase to 121 (also a new record), and the number of Black women in the House will increase to 26 (a third new record). In addition, the total number of Black women in Congress overall will also stand at 26, which matches the record for Black women’s representation in Congress. Women will hold 27.1% of congressional seats. In addition, Cherfilus-McCormick will reportedly become the second Haitian-American woman in Congress, after Utah’s Mia Love, and the first Haitian-American woman in the Democratic caucus. See full details about women in Congress on the new CAWP website, which will update to reflect Cherfilus-McCormick’s presence upon her swearing-in.

Are you a New Jersey college student interested in expanding your leadership skills and deepening your political engagement? The Susan N. Wilson NEW Leadership® New Jersey summer institute is a non-partisan, six-day residential program that will take place June 9-14, 2022 at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. During the summer institute, students will meet women leaders, learn about women’s participation in American politics, and develop and practice leadership skills through panel discussions, workshops, and projects. After the summer institute, participants become part of NEWL’s national network of distinguished alumnae. This year’s NEW Leadership® New Jersey institute is tentatively planned to return to its in-person format – we’re optimists and nothing beats the camaraderie of a week living with your cohort – but stay tuned for potential changes as we continue to adapt to evolving circumstances. Applications are due by February 28, 2022; learn more and apply today at the NEW Leadership® page on the CAWP website.

CAWP is hiring! We’re looking for a research project coordinator to assist scholars and staff on major research projects, including engagement with scholarly literature, data collection, qualitative and quantitative analyses (including analysis of large datasets), research project planning and data visualization. They will also have the opportunity to contribute to our reports, research memos, and blogs. This role offers great potential to expand our data collections, find new areas of research to explore, and assist experienced scholars in producing reports that illuminate areas of women’s representation that are little-understood. Do you have an advanced degree with a focus in political science, public policy, or women and gender studies and a desire to work with the leading source for data and research on women’s political engagement in America? Find more information and apply on the Rutgers University employment site.

The Rutgers-Eagleton Washington Internship Award Program provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 to outstanding Rutgers undergraduate students for summer internships in government/public service in Washington, DC. One of these awards, through the generous support of the Katherine K. Neuberger Legacy Fund at CAWP, is granted every year to a student with an interest in women’s political leadership. The monetary award is meant to ease the financial burden of working in Washington D.C. by offsetting living expenses. Rutgers undergraduates from all campuses and all majors are invited to apply by February 11, 2022. Even if you don't have an internship placement yet, be sure to apply for this opportunity! Learn more & apply.