The heart of NEW Leadership is an intensive residential summer institute. Each year 25-40 women college students live on campus at the host institution for five days. During the institute students meet women leaders serving in a variety of political roles, learn from women and politics scholars, participate in skills building workshops, and discuss and refine their own concepts of leadership. After the institute, students develop leadership projects on their campuses or in their communities to put their ideas about leadership into action.

Since 1991, approximately 2,000 college women across the country have participated in a NEW Leadership summer institute. In 2006, NEW Leadership New Jersey students represented 18 public and private colleges and universities from across the state.

Participants in NEW Leadership are undergraduate women from a variety of backgrounds and academic majors. CAWP is committed to including women from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, racial and educational backgrounds in each NEW Leadership program. NEW Leadership is supported by foundations, corporations, and individual donors. There is no cost to the students.