Each summer since 2005, Appalachian women have been gathering on the Lees-McRae College campus for a three-week transformative experience that seeks to give them the skills and tools to achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. This summer, the 2025 cohort of the New Opportunity School for Women (NOSW) marks 20 years of the program that changes lives one summer at a time.
Over the past two decades of its operation, NOSW has served dozens of low-income women in the region and has remained unique among similar programs. Unlike many peer organizations, the NOSW experience is truly immersive, bringing participants to the college’s campus where they live, learn, and grow in an enriching environment for the duration of the program.
This strategy allows for a truly transformative experience, and the program curriculum, which focuses on helping participants explore career options, establish educational goals, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their sense of self-esteem, touches on all aspects of a woman’s life.
“It is always inspiring to witness women gaining confidence, setting educational goals, and developing essential skills for career advancement,” Director of the New Opportunity School for Women Jennie Harpold said. “Over the past twenty years, the program has remained relevant by adapting to change while staying true to its mission of improving the educational, financial, and personal circumstances of women in Appalachia. Meeting these women each year and later learning of their successes is the most rewarding aspect of my position as director.”
Any woman with a GED or high school diploma with limited financial resources who lives in or hails from the Southern Appalachian region is eligible to apply for this year’s cohort. Participants are typically between the ages of 30 and 55 and are motivated and eager to learn.
The 2025 session will be held Sunday, June 1 through Saturday, June 21, and applications are now open. Applications are submitted by mail.
Learn more about the New Opportunity School for Women at Lees-McRae >>
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