Campus Progress 2006-2007 Student Reps - Bios
Arizona
Maureen Maloney - Northern Arizona University
Maureen Maloney is a graduate student in biology at Northern Arizona University. She is a member of the Associated Students for Women's Issues. Her main interests are the environment and women's rights.
California
Abhi Nemani - Claremont McKenna College
Abhi Nemani is a freshman at Claremont McKenna College, pursuing a dual major in mathematics and government. This interest in government began about three years ago when he watched four seasons straight of the West Wing. Now, he is the rising editor-in-chief of the Claremont Portside, a Campus Progress funded, progressive newsletter, and a project manager at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government. Athletically challenged, Abhi competes on the CMC Mock Trial team with Boston Legal as his inspiration.
Genna Beier - Pomona College
Genna is a junior at Pomona College majoring in Spanish and politics and hopes to go abroad to Buenos Aires, Argentina in the spring. She is involved in two political student organizations; Voices for Planned Parenthood, which raises awareness about reproductive health and rights, and the Pomona Student Union, an organization dedicated to balanced political discourse on campus. This past summer Genna interned at the Center for American Progress in the women's health and rights division which is how she heard about this fabulous opportunity to be a Campus Progress representative on the left coast.
Hayley Ebersole - University of California-San Diego
Hayley Ebersole is honored to accept the position of student representative for UCSD. She loves fitness, athletics, and reading and is currently a third year world literature and art history major. She is extremely interested in environmental issues as well as U.S. literacy and educational issues. Her future plans include the Peace Corps, grad school in Northern California, and becoming a professor of literature so as to motivate her students and get involved in the future of their planet.
Jonathan Garro - University of San Diego
Jonathan, originally from Boston, Massachusetts, is a senior at the University of San Diego majoring in political science. He spent his junior year in Ireland at University College-Cork and received a minor in history. Currently, Jonathan works part-time in California State Senator Christine Kehoe’s San Diego office, but plans to join the Peace Corps after graduation.
Jennifer Wang - University of California Los Angeles
Jennifer Wang is a junior at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles. She studies psychology and women's studies and hopes to go to law school. She serves as the USAC Women's Issues Director, is cochair of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, DesignerinChief and staff writer of FEM Magazine, intern at the Feminist Majority Foundation, and an executive board member of the UCLA Clothesline Project. She is interested in public interest law, social justice issues, and health care reform.
Elia Boggia - University of California-Santa Barbara
Elia Boggia is a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in political science and international relations. Hailing from Italy, he is a former intern for the Center for American Progress and currently the Secretary of the UCSB Democrats. Elia produces and hosts his own political talk show on the community radio KCSB 91.9, and his main interests are health care justice, promoting more social reforms in America, and foreign policy.
Maytak Chin - University of California-Berkeley
Maytak is currently a junior majoring in mass communications and anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as a former communications intern for APIAVote, a non profit organization aimed to lobby for Asian Pacific Islander issues. She is also very heavily involved with campus activities as well as Cal’s Residential Student Services Department.
Courtney Burks - University of California-Davis
Courtney Burks is a senior at the University of California, Davis, majoring in international relations and Spanish. She is a news writer for her school newspaper, The California Aggie, and serves on the West Coast task force for STAND (Students Take Action Now: Darfur). Courtney is also very active in the field of public health and hopes to attain her MPH and PhD one day. Within the international arena, her interests are peace and security studies, global health and environmental protection. She is mostly interested in studying about regional areas such as Latin America and Africa. Last spring she studied and interned in Washington DC at the National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention. Her favorite politician is Barack Obama. Courtney is currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.
Clinton Schaff - University of Southern California
Clinton is a graduate student studying communications anagement at the University of Southern California. He is particularly interested in issues related to equality, access, and funding for higher education and is looking to get involved with student publications and labor groups at USC.
Connecticut
Whitney Haring-Smith - Yale University
Whitney HaringSmith, a senior at Yale University, is a candidate for simultaneous award of his Bachelor's and Master's in Political Science in May 2007. In 2005, Whitney founded New Haven Action, a local nonprofit dedicated to pursuing campaigns that bring together students and community members in New Haven. He has also worked for the Oregon Department of Education, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sri Lanka, the U.S. Department of Defense in Washington D.C., and the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups program in Afghanistan. He currently serves as the Finance Director for Students for a New American Politics PAC and the Deputy Policy Director of DeStefano for Connecticut.
Elana Baurer - Wesleyan University
Elana Baurer is in the class of '09 at Wesleyan University, with plans to double major in Spanish and African American Studies. She is interested in human rights issues, particularly in the influence of race, class, and gender and the intersection of power plays and human rights concerns. This past summer she interned at Physicians for Human Rights, focusing on antitorture legislation and work on the Darfur conflict. She loves tea parties, laughing, chocolate, and the color purple.
Rebecca Littman - Wesleyan University
Rebecca is a junior majoring in government and psychology at Wesleyan University. She served as the divestment chair for Wesleyan STAND, and is an editor of Incite Magazine, Wesleyan's progressive online publication. Rebecca is also in charge of research and development for Girls Kick It, a soccer rehabilitation program for girls living in northern Uganda.
Jeff Sandberg - Yale University
Jeff Sandberg is a firstyear law student at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Before starting law school, Jeff worked as a policy/research assistant in the metropolitan policy program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. In fall/winter 200506, Jeff interned with the national security policy team at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, where he researched U.S.China relations, defense policy, and terrorism. Jeff holds an M.Phil. in International Relations from the University of Cambridge and a B.A. in History and International Studies from Yale College. Jeff hails originally from Moline, Illinois.
Nate Loewentheil - Yale University
Nate Loewentheil is a proud son of Baltimore, Maryland. He currently attends Yale University, where he is on path to graduate in 2007. He is majoring in Ethics, Politics and Economics, a seemingly contradictory program that prepares students for a life in the public sphere. His biggest extracurricular commitment is to the Roosevelt Institution, the nation’s first student think tank. Fiercely committed to engaging otherwise lethargic students in civil society, he has served as the Development Director for Roosevelt National since summer 2005. In addition, he is involved with a number of nonprofits around New Haven. His policy interests include urban poverty and housing, smart growth, and alternative energy. He has published on both housing and estate tax reform.
Roger Low - Yale University
Roger Low is a senior in Branford College at Yale University, where he is currently pursuing a major in history. He was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Last summer he worked as a political assistant on Senator Evan Bayh's All America PAC in Washington DC. In the summers prior to that, he worked in London as a policy assistant and speech writer for a liberal Democrat peer in the House of Lords, and in Denver on Democrat Ken Salazar's U.S. Senate Campaign as the policy director's principal assistant. He is currently the president of the Yale Political Union, a political debating club with over 250 duespaying members. He has also served on the executive board of the Yale College Democrats, and writes "the Low Down," a moderate to liberal opinion column for the Yale Daily News. He gets easily excited by brownies, Tom Friedman, and the West Wing.
Josh Cox - Yale University
Joshua Cox is a junior at Yale University, who is originally from Gainesville, Florida. During the past summer, he interned at the Center for American Progress on the National Security Team. He is a varsity Yale baseball player and an avid watcher of Entourage.
Thomas Coen - Wesleyan University
Thomas Coen is a senior at Wesleyan University, where he is double majoring in government and economics. He is the cofounder of a webbased progressive magazine sponsored by Campus Progress that links commentary and analysis with activism (www.incitemagazine.org). He is also involved with the Roosevelt Institution, the nation’s first student thinktank, and presented at their policy expo this past August. Thomas cohosts a weekly political talk show, “Don’t Believe the Hype”, on WESU Middletown (www.wesufm.org) and currently serves as the station’s treasurer. His policy interests include international economic development.
District of Columbia
Yancey Burns - University of the District of Columbia
Yancey is a 24 year old second year law student at the U.D.C. David A. Clarke School of law in Washington, DC. He received a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism at West Virginia University. Yancey is currently a Senator in the Student Bar Association (SBA) at his school, as well as being the vice president of my campus' branch of the International Law Students Association (ILSA).
Rachel Cohen - Georgetown University
Rachel Cohen is a sophomore at Georgetown University, where she is majoring in government and history. As a Maryland native, she is totally obsessed with Martin O'Malley and anything involving Old Bay seasoning. On campus, she is involved with several organizations, including Hillel, H*yas for Choice, College Democrats, and Blue & Gray Tour Guides. Off campus, Rachel is an intern for Evan Bayh's All America PAC. In her spare time, Rachel can be found wandering campus at all hours singing the Georgetown fight song at the top of her lungs and battling Democratic guilt over her crush on Tucker Carlson.
Betsy Cantwell - George Washington University
Betsy Cantwell is a political communication major at the George Washington University. Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, she first became involved with progressive politics through high school organizations such as Young Democrats of America and Amnesty International. Now, replanted in Washington DC, Betsy participates in the GW College Democrats and Roosevelt Institution in addition to other activities such as the GW Roadrunners Club. She enjoys writing of all types both reading and creating it and as an aspiring political journalist is extremely excited to be involved with Campus Progress as a student representative. In addition, Betsy looks forward to focusing on issues of student debt, the environment, and the current humanitarian crisis in Sudan among others.
Florida
George A. Olokun - Florida A & M University
George Olokun is pursuing a degree from the illustrious Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a selfmotivated, family oriented, and service bound individual that has received many honors for his community involvement. As a freshman, George became a resident assistant for the male dormitories and prioritized his time to balance school and a plethora of extracurricular clubs, organizations, and activities. In the fall of 2003, he started a pilot mentorship organization that would later be named "Mentor One". “Mentor One” has taken the nation by surprise and expanded to universities and communities across the nation. There are many things George does in life, but the number one thing is building a better today, so that the youth of tomorrow can reach their level of success.
Mario M. Henderson - Florida A & M University
Mario M. Henderson is a second-year political science and pre-law student at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida. Originally from Daytona Beach, Florida Mario is no stranger to politics and advocacy around the state. From working on campaigns to interning on Capitol Hill, his goal is to build leadership for America and the global community. He currently serves as the Director of Student Lobbying and Governmental Affairs for the Student Government Association at FAMU and is working extremely hard to represent the students of the nation's largest historically black college and university in America. Mario has been an intern with the Congressional Black Caucus in the Office of U.S. Representative Corrine Brown, an intern with the Kerry-Edwards Campaign in 2004, a volunteer with the Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Campaign for Mayor of Daytona Beach and volunteer with the West Volusia Democratic Club during the Florida state-wide election of 2002. Mario has also volunteered with the Volusia County Teen Court and has been a participant with the American Legion Boys State and Presidential Classroom program as well as the FUTURES Education Foundation "Tomorrows Leaders" program. Mr. Henderson has also been involved with local and state leaders to improve the quality of lives of the citizens of Daytona Beach and the county of Volusia.
Brandon Hersh - University of Florida
Brandon Hersh is a student in political communication and journalism at the University of Florida. His concentration and specializations are politics, civil rights, civil liberties pertaining to GLBT issues. He is a former contributing writer for the Alligator, his campus newspaper. On campus, he is closely affiliated with Pride Student Union, Journalism & Communications Ambassadors, as well as local politics and other grassroots efforts. Brandon also attended the 2nd annual CampusProgress convention in DC and was reinvigorated. His dream job would be White House Press Secretary, but he’d happily settle for a career in political speech writing, punditry, or political media analysis.
Stephanie Duncker - Florida State University
Stephanie Duncker is a junior majoring in humanities at Florida State University. She has previously worked with a peace group on campus and for campaigns to register low income voters and raise the minimum wage. She is interested in civil rights, women's rights, and class issues.
Adrian Abner - Florida A&M University
Adrian D. Abner is a senior majoring in business administration at the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida. Originally from the historic river town called Blountstown which is approximately 53 miles west of Tallahassee, he has been involved in antitobacco activism since she was about 12 years old. He has served as the state chairman of the Florida Students Working Against Tobacco and in other leadership capacities of the statewide antitobacco program. Meantime, he has been a very active and vocal citizen of the Mayhaw Community in Blountstown. Although quite active in civic organizations, he always finds the time to give service to God where he and attends church at the Prayer Chainers Mission of God in the small community of Hugh Creek. He is a member of the White & Gold Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Member of the American Lung Association of Florida's Governmental Affairs Committee, and a volunteer for the Floridians for Youth Tobacco Education Vote Yes on Amendment 4 initiative. He is dedicated to better communities and working hard to see progress.
Gregory Woodall - Florida A&M University
Gregory Woodall is a dedicated leader and service oriented worker. As a third year physics major from Atlanta, Gregory has a plethora of interests that allow him to help many students. From the Society of Physics Students to the Student Government Association to the NAACP, progress is always key to change, and progress is exactly what Gregory believes in. Currently a member of College Democrats, Student Government, and T.D. Tucker Leadership Academy, Gregory is committed to advancing the movement in every organization he is involved in.
Ashley Gardana - Florida State University
Ashley Gardana, a sophomore at Florida State University, has participated in many political organizations including Vote for Change and Rock the Vote, where she was a South Florida street team leader. Since coming to Florida State she has interned for the Florida Democratic Party for a year, helping the Party with numerous events and fundraisers. On campus she has been a member of College Democrats for a year.
Jose Flores - University of Miami
Jose Flores is a graduate student at the University of Miami majoring in international studies. Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Jose came to the United States at the age of 9 and has been living in Miami, Florida. He is Chapter Coordinator for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar Chapter at the University of Miami. Working with various campus and local community organizations, Jose has organized numerous outreach activities in the local community and campus events that aim to bring awareness about Latin American issues and culture. He has studied abroad in Chile, Mexico and Spain and currently has plans to pursue a doctoral degree.
Georgia
Tamia Powell - Georgia Southern
Tamia Powell is currently a senior at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, graduating in December 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in public relations. Upon graduation she wishes to attend graduate school to receive her Master's in computer information systems. She is currently a member of several organizations including PRSSA, Volunteer Involvement Board, GSU Eagle Peer Leaders, and a host of other organizations. She's on the Dean's List and a member of Tau Sigma National Honor Society. Tamia loves to travel and loves animals.
Kendra Kline - Emory University
Kendra Kline is a junior at Emory University studying anthropology and sociology. The issues that interest her most are sustainability, social justice, and election reform. She is presently working on starting a Progressive Student Union at her school so that she and her peers can cut out the partisan mumbo jumbo and actually DO something.
Idaho
Mike Sharp - Boise State University
Mike Sharp is a political science and education major at Boise State University. He has worked on Jerry Brady’s gubernatorial campaign staff in Idaho, and is currently working for the Idaho Democratic Party as a canvass director for one of the largest counties in the state. He is particularly interested in gay rights, immigration, and student debt.
Illinois
Hollie Gilman - University of Chicago
Hollie Russon Gilman is the membership director of the University of Chicago Democrats and planned the First Annual University of Chicago Progressive Gala with Campus Progress. She is the undergraduate liaison to the board of trustees and a writer for the Campus Progress sponsored Diskord publication as well as the Maroon newspaper. Hollie has interned for the KerryEdwards campaign, Senator Edward's One America Committee, and Senator Clinton's Office of Immigration and DC office. She is currently studying abroad in Beijing at Capital Normal University.
Nick Daggers - Illinois State University
This is Nick Dagger’s second year as a Campus Progress Student Representative. He is a senior majoring in politics and government and history at Illinois State University. He has previously served in student government and now works for the office of admissions. His policy interests are mainly domestic, including education, civil rights, national security, and environmental issues.
Frank Lin - University of Chicago
Frank Lin is a freshman majoring in economics at the University of Chicago. He is interested in international economic development and foreign policy, particularly with regards to the Middle East, as well as comparative political philosophy. Frank is an associate of the Telluride Association and a member of Human Rights Watch.
Malorie Medellin - Northwestern University
Malorie Medellin is a junior at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, where she is pursuing a double major in journalism and Middle East studies. If she’s not buried in work, she’s serving as the secretary of her sorority, Kappa Delta. Malorie believes in a "politics of hope" and struggles to remain an idealist in an imperfect world.
Tania Zanbrano - University of Illinois
Tania Zanbrano is a junior at the University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign. She is a prelaw student majoring in sociology and Spanish with a minor in Latina/o Studies. Tamia is currently the historian and cofounder of M.E.Ch.A de UIUC. She also helps freshmen adjust to the University and helps them find resources. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, watching movies, and just hanging out. She loves comedies and mysteries.
Britta Thornton - Illinois College
Britta Thornton is a senior at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. She is majoring in English literature with a minor in gender & women’s studies. She is currently president of the Illinois College chapters of the Women's Studies Honor Society, Iota Iota Iota, and the English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta. A founding member and president of the Illinois College Progressive Action Coalition as well as vicepresident of Illinois College Straights and Gays for Equality, she has also participated in voter registration and outreach, as well as the antiwar movement. Her interests include the affects of globalization, human rights, environmental sustainability, and global feminism.
Indiana
Roque Strew - University of Notre Dame
Roque Strew is the editorinchief of Notre Dame’s progressive literary/political review, Common Sense. He has served as an editorial assistant at Transition Magazine and worked at Harvard's Committee on Human Rights Studies. Occasionally he also freelances as a music critic, contributing to the Village Voice, Pitchfork, Paste Magazine, and the Boston Phoenix. As a DJ, remixer, lyric poet and barbecuer, he is mediocre at best.
Kansas
Lennea Carty - University of Kansas
Lennea Carty is a senior majoring in English and history at the University of Kansas. Lennea is passionate about human rights and has been fortunate to work with Oxfam and the One Campaign. She is presently serving as a senator in the student senate and as the president of KU UNICEF. Bicycling, roller skating, and rock climbing are among her favorite activities, along with studying various languages. Her personal goal for this year is to ride a camel!
Bart LaBounty - Ball State University
Bart is a recent graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor's degree in history and is currently pursuing a master's in political science at Ball State. During the fall of 2005 Bart lived and studied in London as a member of Ball State's London Centre program. Bart plans to intern at the Indiana General Assembly during spring semester 2007. His policy interests include but are not limited to education, health care, and economic policy.
Kentucky
Richard Becker - University of Kentucky
Richard Becker goes to the University of Kentucky and is majoring in political science. He was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN, where he got his first political involvement through volunteer work for the Joe Kernan for Governor Campaign in the fall of 2004. Richard's political work continued into the fall of 2005 with a paid position at the Citizen's Action Coalition of Indiana, where he did field organizing on issues such as limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and removing soft money from state government. Beginning college in the fall of 2005, Richard was elected at the semester to be the treasurer of the University of Kentucky College Democrats before being elected to the presidency in April of 2006 with an emphasis on membership recruitment, fundraising, and increasing the progressive voice on UK's campus. Richard intends to one day attend law school.
Maggie Dolan - University of Kentucky
Maggie Dolan, a University of Kentucky student from Louisville, is currently coeditor of the honors’ program literary magazine and UK's Campus Progressaffiliated satirical newspaper, The Colonel. Recently, she has had internships with Teach for America and The Women Writers Conference. She also volunteers as a medical advocate with the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center and is a research assistant for Joan Callahan.
Sarah Baird - Centre College
Sarah Baird is a firstyear student at Centre College where she is a prospective classics major, although she is equally interested in international relations. Sarah has been encouraging civic and global human rights awareness, especially in rural areas, for her entire life. Sarah hopes to continue to raise understanding for these important issues by becoming involved in student government and community outreach programs. Her main interests lie in migration/immigration considerations, education policy, regional planning, and all issues faced by rural areas.
Louisiana
Derrick Petit - Louisiana State University
Derrick Petit is from New Orleans, Louisiana and is a senior at Louisiana State University majoring in political science and history. He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society, Phi Alpha Delta PreLaw International Fraternity, Black Student Union, NAACP, Student Equality Commission, and a former student government senator, residential assistant for McVoy Hall, and a student government parliamentarian. A revolution can only come by an evolution of the mind.
Maine
Allyson Rudolph - Colby College
Allyson Rudolph is a senior philosophy major at Colby College who hates to write about herself in the third person. She has been involved in a great many political organizations on campus, including The League of Progressive Voters (the Waterville affiliate of the national League of Young Voters), the Movement for Global Justice, and the Maine College Action Network. She is interested in all things political, but especially human rights and international foreign policy, voter advocacy, media reform, and the nature of activism. Her pet peeves include misused punctuation and clumsy sentences.
Joshua Chaisson - University of Southern Maine
Joshua Chaisson is a senior majoring in economics at the University of Southern Maine. In 2005 he became the first ever Student Body President elected at his university. In his position he focused time and energy on making a college education more accessible and affordable. He has testified on-line to Congress and in person to the Commission on the Future of Higher Education on strategies to keep college costs within means. He has collaborated with state representatives, national organizations and United States Congressmen. In 2006 he co-found the University of Maine System Student Government, an organization aiming to address academic and financial issues for students attending public universities in Maine. For his efforts Joshua has received both local and national media attention. Most recently he and his colleagues were recipients of the "Student Debt Watchdog of the Year" award. Joshua has also worked as an Assistant Resident Director, and as an intern with a local economic development organization. In recent times he has focused his attention on helping repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Additionally, Joshua volunteers his time in the community with organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
Maryland
Chanelle Schneider - University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Chanelle Schneider is a student attending the University of Maryland – Baltimore County majoring in philosophy. She hopes to attend graduate school to obtain a masters in media or cultural studies. Her interests lie in cultural policy and examining the effects of media representations on society as a whole. She is a sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. and is currently working as Lead Cultural Peer for the Mosaic: Center for Diversity and Culture and the Interfaith Center at UMBC.
Traci Leach - Villa Julie College
Traci Leach is a senior at Villa Julie College majoring in psychology and minoring in business management. She is currently actively involved in the development of a progressive club on her campus. In light of what she feels are injustices directed towards lower class Americans, she is particularly interested in class structure and how it affects Americans.
Arash Massoudi - Johns Hopkins University
Arash Massoudi is a rising junior at Johns Hopkins University from Tallahassee, Florida. He is an international relations major and will be complete a BA/MA program with SAIS starting next fall in Washington D.C. and Bologna, Italy. His favorite experience at Hopkins has been doing the MSE Symposium which has given him the opportunity to meet several interesting celebrities and politicians.
Michelle J. Ford - Univ. of Maryland
An African American student from Decatur, GA she now attends the University of Maryland. She is a double major in marketing and public relations and looking to go on to receive her real estate license. She is very involved on campus and want to promote social awareness of pressing issues among the urban youth. Michelle is a member of the Black Student Union, Black Business Association, College Park Art Scholars, Community Roots, Sister 2 Sister, RHA, is a Nymburu cultural center assistant, participates is the leadership series, SEE, and the Echelon fashion society.
Massachusetts
Monica Gleberman - University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Monica Gleberman is a journalism and English major at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She has been been covering entertainment and political issues since she was thirteen, and plans on making her mark in journalism. She has already published numerous articles in various publications.
Lauren Villarroel - Amherst College
Lauren Villarroel is a junior at Amherst College. She is a double major in women and gender studies and fine arts. Lauren has interned for the Center for Governmental Studies and Break the Cycle in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. This past summer she interned in Washington, DC at Choice USA, an organization that empowers youth to fight for reproductive rights. Currently Lauren is studying art history in Milan, Italy. While home this winter she will be interning in her representative, Brad Sherman's, district office.
Lauren Weldon - Harvard Law School
After college, she worked briefly at a nonprofit in D.C. and later spent a year as an education director at a Sylvan Learning Center. The two jobs only added to her sense that she is incredibly fortunate to now be attending Harvard Law. As a 3L at Harvard, she hopes that she can use Campus Progress as a means to keep students informed about important issues that face our nation. Too often, she thinks that difficult, nuanced issues are painted in terms of a black/white divide. She hopes that Campus Progress can make a difference by informing a community of students and teaching how to further the dialogue about some of the problems that face our nation. Laruen thinks there are some wonderful politicians, educators, and community leaders who need to be recognized and hopes to use this position to bring those leaders to our campus to speak and talk about their work.
Crystal Fraser - Westfield State College
Crystal Fraser is a senior at Westfield State College in Westfield, Massachusetts. At WSC she has been a member of two hall councils, the Criminal Justice Club, the Law Club and is the cochair of the newly formed Student Activists for Gender Equality (SAGE). After graduation she hopes to work in the nonprofit sector.
Lisa Haubenstock - Tufts University
Lisa Haubenstock is a sophomore at Tufts University majoring in international relations and minoring in communications. Her activities include being a tour guide, a tutor in math and French, and a sister in Alpha Omicron Pi. This past summer Lisa worked with Critical Exposure, a nonprofit organization, working towards education equity in DC public schools. She’s also very interested in arts education and arts advocacy as well as women's rights.
Janet ArmourJones - Hampshire College
Janet is from Tennessee and going to Hampshire College in Massachusetts where she is studying theatre design and literature. Her school is very diverse and active, and she thinks that this group would be a good way to get groups interacting with each other so that ideas spread throughout the whole community as opposed to just within specific groups.
Michael Corcoran - Emerson College
Michael Corcoran is a senior majoring in print and multimedia journalism at Emerson College. He currently works as a coop at The Boston Globe where he has written about progressive issues for the oped page, and the editorial page blog. He is also the opinion editor of Emerson’s student run paper, The Berkeley Beacon. Some of the issues he focuses on are: media analysis, civil liberties, foreign policy, and student debt.
Roheeni Saxena - Wellesley College
Roheeni Saxena is a junior at Wellesley College majoring in neuroscience and peace and justice studies. She is a fellow with the Center Progressive Leadership's New Leaders Program, and has interned at Campaign for America’s Future. Her interests include immigration and cultural issues, international peacemaking, women's health, and integrity in the scientific policy making process.
Jordan Akerley - Wellesley College
Jordan is a junior at Wellesley College majoring in sociology and women's studies. Jordan is the cochair of the LGBT equal rights organization Wellesley for Equality and is a member of the Wellesley Soccer Team. In the past Jordan has served as a liaison to the Board of Trustees on athletics and held a place on several firstyear orientation panels. Jordan has interned and currently volunteers with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), and is acutely interested in policies surrounding socioeconomic justice, antiracism, and LGBT equality issues.
Alyssa Miller - College of the Holy Cross
Alyssa Miller was born and raised in Springfield, MA. She is now a junior classics major at the College of the Holy Cross. In her free time, she performs with various choirs and theatre troupes at the college. Alyssa plans to study abroad in Rome for the spring 2007 semester. After college she hopes to either attend law school or pursue graduate studies in classical literature and archaeology.
Michael Akanji - Gordon College
Michael Akanji is a senior at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He was born in Nigeria and has lived in England, the Middle East, and California. Michael is currently a resident of Rhode Island and is involved in running the Model United Nations at Gordon College. He is also the vice president of the College Democrats and college coordinator of the Deval Patrick for Governor Campaign.
Amy Rumora - Mount Holyoke College
Amy Rumora is a senior majoring in biochemistry at Mount Holyoke College. She is currently writing a thesis on her undergraduate research in the chemistry department and plans to continue her education in a biochemistry graduate program. Her interest in American Progress began in spring 2006 when Amy attended the President’s Council on Bioethics and the American Progress conference on stem cell research. She is particularly interested in political issues related to bioethics and women’s rights.
Michigan
Staci Daniels - University of Michigan
Staci Daniels is from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and is a senior at the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor. She has been an editorial board member for the Campus Progress-sponsored, Michigan Independent news publication. She is also a member of the College Democrats Executive Board, an organizer for Students Supporting Affirmative Action, a student facilitator for Race and Ethnicity in the Program on Intergroup Relations , and an elected representative of the Michigan Student Assembly, the student government body for U of M. After graduation, she hopes to recieve her Masters in Social Work and recieve a J.D. degree.
Hollis Templeton - University of Michigan
Michael Radtke - University of Michigan
Michael Radtke, originally from Sterling Heights, Michigan, is currently pursuing a double degree in political science and history. He recently finished an online communications internship with the Stabenow for U.S. Senate campaign. In the future, Mike hopes to attend law school and to help others through government. Right now, he is looking forward to working with young progressives across the country to further collective causes.
Minnesota
Brittany Larson - Carleton College
Brittany Larson is a junior at Carleton College in Northfield, MN majoring in philosophy and international relations. She interns for the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group and is involved in many other activist groups on campus. Her primary fights are for renewable energy, government responsibility and accountability, as well as animal liberation. She has two hamsters named Vincent and Jules and plays three instruments: the clarinet, saxophone, and guitar.
Mississippi
Missouri
John Sullivan - Washington University in St. Louis
Currently, he is the Wash U campus organizer of Americans for Informed Democracy (www.aidemocracy.org) and is planning a young leaders’ summit at Wash U in October. He has held internships with the Bexar County Green Party (Bexar County is the home of his hometown San Antonio, Texas), the Office of Congressman Henry Cuellar, and the Phil Hardberger Mayoral Campaign.
Josh Kappel - Truman State University
Josh Kappel is a senior psychology major at Truman State University and is also getting a minor in philosophy and religion. He became involved with campus activism when his friends told him to quit bitching about how things are and actually go do something. That is what he did. Josh started a campus chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, ran and gained office at his school’s student government, where he is currently the legislative director. With his assistance, his school’s government has run various campaigns to restore financial aid to drug offenders and to end the invasive parental notification policy in regards to student misconduct. He has also been a part of creating a new progressive student government party on campus (Student Coalition for Change). The most exciting thing that is happening though is that he and other students are in process of creating the first statewide public university student union, Missouri Students United! ( www.yourstudentunion.org). We have unionized three campuses so far and hope to have unionized half the state by the end of the academic year. This union, once successful, could change the face of the student movement throughout the country.
Kyle Drake - University of Central Missouri
Kyle Drake is a first-year student at the University of Central Missouri, majoring in political science and communication. Kyle currently serves as a Senator, and Elections Chairperson, on UCM's Student Government Association. Kyle also serves as the SGA Representative on the Student Funding Committee. He is also a member of the IMPACT (Infusing Multiculturalism, Pride, Awareness, and Connections into Training) Student Leadership Program on his campus. Kyle has volunteered on multiple local and national campaigns in an effort to work towards progressive values for his campus and nation.
Nebraska
Nathaniel Davis - University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Nathaniel is a full time student at the University of Nebraska Lincoln studying social science and musical theatre and is very active in his community. He has volunteered for the National Conference for Community and Justice for over four years doing numerous workshops, programming, and organizing events. The N.C.C.J. is an organization that fights bias, bigotry and racism all across America. He is also involved in the outreach work at Nebraska Aids Project. Nathaniel’s passion is theatre and music and has been in many musicals, with the most recent being Ragtime, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Grease just to name a few. He is also very active in his youth ministry at the church helping young people reach their full potential and encouraging them to succeed. He has been in numerous concert choirs and state soloist competitions winning superior every time. Nathaniel was president of the Iowa western G.S.A. for one year before he transferred colleges and got Iowa students to become allies in training! He is also a part of Young Democrats and student council. His parents are pastors of a Pentecostal church.
New Hampshire
Alexandra DiBranco - Dartmouth College
Alex is a sophomore majoring in economics and government at Dartmouth College. She is a writer and section editor for the Dartmouth Free Press, on the executive board of the campus chapter of the Civil Liberties Union, and a member of the Dartmouth Progressives. She is most concerned with issues regarding civil rights, gender equality, sexual assault, poverty, and international relations.
New Jersey
TJ Davis - Ramapo College of New Jersey
TJ is a rising senior at Ramapo College of New Jersey majoring in environmental studies. He works as a recycler and has been working to make the campus more energy efficient and sustainable. Other issues he works on include education, social security, and drug law reform.
Christopher Higgins - Seton Hall University
Christopher Higgins is a political science major at Seton Hall University. Originally hailing from Hillsborough, New Jersey, he first became active in progressive activism through his school's chapter of Amnesty International, of which he is currently the vice-president. In addition, he is also a member of the Seton Hall United Nations Association, where he helps train younger members about the ins and outs of Model United Nations. Christopher was also one of the charter members of the campus movement in 2005 that promoted various hot-button issues, such as GLBT rights, religious freedom, and academic freedom. He is a member of the Young Socialists for Democratic Change, ALLIES (Seton Hall's gay-straight organization), and an occasional member of the theater program. In his spare time, he is an active reader of Thinkprogress.org, and enjoys all manner of political discussion. In the future, Christopher hopes to attend law school. As an active advocate of human rights awareness, GLBT rights, and media neutrality, he is extremely excited to be working as a Campus Progress student representative.
New York
Maura Hooper - New York University
Maura is a junior majoring in drama and political science at New York University. She is a member of the Atlantic Theater Company and has worked with the United Nations World Food Programme on chronic hunger advocacy. She recently spent time rebuilding after Katrina with the group Phoenix of New Orleans (PNOLA) and is the founder of a student PNOLA group on campus.
Amanda Widom - SUNY Binghamton University
Amanda is a senior at SUNY Binghamton University majoring in political science. She has held various political internships, starting in a New York City Council race. Amanda then interned in Nancy Pelosi's leadership office on the Hill. More recently she was an intern in Bob Casey's Senate campaign in Pennsylvania. She has been to Spain and Venezuela, loves to travel, and study Latin American history.
Maanas Agarwal - State University of New York
Maanas Agarwal is a senior at SUNYFredonia majoring in business and finance, and possibly pursuing further study in finance and public policy. Maanas is a big fan of Mahatma Gandhi and tries to follow his principles as much as he can. He is in the process of starting a chapter of the Roosevelt Institution at his college and is a firm believer in the "power of the youth."
Michael Nadler - Columbia University
Michael Nadler is a senior majoring in political science and economics at Columbia University. He is currently the President of the Columbia College Democrats, and has previously interned for Democratic political consultants, the ACLU, and local campaigns. His policy interests include economics and civil liberties, and he is currently writing his thesis on political polls and their ability to forecast national elections.
Emily Kronenberg - Hunter College
Emily Kronenberg is currently finishing her M.S. in Urban Affairs at Hunter College where she is a Clara Kennon Worley Scholar and writes for the Urban Review. During the summer of 2006, she attended the Institute on Sexuality, Society and Health at the National Sexuality Resource Center at San Francisco State University and completed her independent study on the beginnings of sexual careers among teens. From 2005-2006, Emily served as the Northeast Regional Coordinator at Advocates for Youth and organized campus campaigns to support legislation for comprehensive sex education. Emily works as a Legislative Associate at the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities and serves on the Youth Advisory Board at Advocates for Youth. Her major areas of activism include issues of public health, youth empowerment, and reproductive rights.
Caroline O’Shea - Hamilton College
Caroline O'Shea is a senior studying Government and Sociology at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. At Hamilton she is involved with the College Democrats, Womyn's Center, Rainbow Alliance, VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood, and Students Against Sexual Assault. She has interned on Capitol Hill with the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Her main policy interests include civil rights and liberties, economic opportunity, public health, education, and women's and GLBT issues.
Mike Wolk - West Point Military Academy
Mike Wolk is a senior at West Point. This summer he interned for the Center for American Progress and had the pleasure of working with many of the fine members of Campus Progress. Now he is working to bring Campus Progress to West Point. As an American politics major, he is surrounded with the right group of people (being part of an institution of “joiners”) and thus has fertile ground for founding a chapter. He is highly involved in West Point and its extracurricular programs as well as getting ready to be an Infantry Second Lieutenant upon graduation. Please let him know if you have any suggestions or questions for Campus Progress at West Point.
North Carolina
John Post - University of North Carolina-Asheville
John Post is a senior at University of North Carolina at Asheville where he studies creative writing and modern history with an emphasis on US foreign relations with the developing world. This summer he interned at the American Democracy Institute, a leadership development nonprofit, where he worked on programs for developing a grassroots, youthoriented progressive movement. John has worked with various community groups and oncampus organizations on many different activist issues, including immigrant rights, women's and LGBTQ issues, election reform, US foreign policy issues and the environment. He is currently volunteering on the Heath Shuler for Congress campaign in Western North Carolina.
Benjamin Abram - Duke University
Benjamin Schaefer Abram is a senior at Duke University, dualmajoring in environmental engineering and public policy studies. He is a longtime liberal who sold antiBush tshirts before the 2004 elections in an effort to raise funds for driving Durham voters to the polls. He cares deeply about the environment, but has trouble making friends who recycle. Benjamin always carries a Moleskine.
Jameese Mangum - North Carolina Central University
JaMeese is a sophomore with a political science and public administration double major at North Carolina Central University. She is an active member of the Civic Engagement Task Force, CoChair of the political Action Committee of the NAACP and Secretary of the political science Club. She is very active on campus and attempting to become influential in the Durham community. She is interested in issues concerning voting, global warming, gender equality, and civil rights.
Ohio
Stephanie Lee - Miami University
Stephanie Lee is a thirdyear student in the interdisciplinary studies program at Miami University. In college she aspired to create her own major by combining media studies, psychology, linguistics, and sociology. In doing so, she hopes to eliminate stereotypes and prejudice in the media. However, during her sophomore year, when the administration at her school decided to terminate her educational program, she realized that problems existed within the educational system which prevented students from getting the education they wanted. Stephanie then modified her educational focus to include analysis of educational models, in the pursuit of educational reform. She hopes to become a media activist, a filmmaker, a writer, and a teacher.
Anjali Chavan - Ohio State University
Anjali Chavan is a thirdyear student at The Ohio State University doublemajoring in political science and criminology with minors in French and AsianAmerican studies. Originally from Beavercreek, Ohio, Anjali has been very active in Ohio State as well as the Columbus community. Not only does she represent OSU to prospective students as a University Ambassador, she has served as a Site Liaison to On My Own, a nonprofit organization that provides services for adults with mild developmental disabilities. Active on her campus, Anjali is on the executive board of Indian American Association, Phi Alpha Delta prelaw fraternity, and Organization of Minority Students in Criminology and Sociology. Anjali has studied abroad in Dijon, France as well as spent her summer in the nation's capital interning with a progressive nonprofit research center, Good Jobs First. Currently, this Kappa Alpha Theta sorority member serves as a LGBT intern of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Elizabeth Scheltens - Kenyon College
Elizabeth is a 2nd year political science major at Kenyon College. Originally from Dayton, OH, Elizabeth is a member of Epsilon Delta Mu, a local sorority committed to academic and person excellence and community service. She enjoys running with Kenyon varsity track and cross country teams, camping and hiking with the outdoors club, and has recently begun hosting a show on the campus radio station mixing music, humor and politics. A National Public Radio Junkie and former radio intern, Elizabeth hopes to continue work in this medium in her future.
Oklahoma
Jessica Ward - Oklahoma State University
Jessica is a junior at Oklahoma State University and interned in D.C. this summer with Oklahoma congressmen Dan Boren and Tom Cole. She is an active Campus Progress member and has attended their past two conferences and many other events. Jessica is involved with her sorority, the Young Democrats chapter, county parties, student government and other organizations on campus. She is currently working for the Oklahoma Governor, Brad Henry's re election campaign.
Oregon
Leslie Zukor - Reed College
At Reed College, she is the founder and President of the newly renamed Reed Secular Alliance (RSA). The group, formerly known as the Freethinkers, seeks to unite secular students under one banner, toward a future free of religious coercion. As club leader, Zukor has hosted distinguished philosopher Daniel Dennett and has coordinated a Secular Student Alliance Best AwardWinning prison book drive. In her spare time, Zukor writes for the Secular Student Alliance’s eNews and for the Reed College Quest, the student body newspaper. She is also an avid squirrel photographer.
Jamie Gentry - Southern Oregon University
Jamie is pursuing a BS in sociology at Oregon University and has a great interest in the independent underdog making a successful run in future political runs in Oregon. Jamie is from the small area of Southern Oregon and has worked very hard putting independents on the ballot and securing measures that affect students as well as striving to ensure that local politics receive state wide attention. Jamie is working with students to develop a strong political voice as well as working in the security industry.
Pennsylvania
Dashira Harris - Temple University
Dashira is currently a junior at Temple University, majoring in broadcast journalism, minoring in business, and seeking a certificate in French. She would like to go into the field of investigative reporting. Dashira feels that everyone needs to be more socially and culturally aware of their world and the world at large because our global community is getting smaller and closer everyday. She enjoys writing, traveling, reading, shopping, cultural events, and learning about new things.
Regis Kingera - Penn State University
Not the typical student you would expect to see on the Penn State campus, Regis Kingera is a retired member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and is often mistaken for the professor by his classmates. He is a liberal arts major in organizational leadership and works as a liaison between labor unions and student organizations on campus, mainly those seeking to change the social ills that plague our society. He has taken on the progressive cause because of Isabel and Nina, his two granddaughters, so they will have one less battle to fight.
Kiran Bhatraju - University of Pennsylvania
Kiran Bhatraju is a senior majoring in political science at the University of Pennsylvania. He is on the executive board of the Penn Society for International Development, the Campaign for a National Majority PAC, and is an Associate of the Truman National Security Project. Kiran is interested in development, national security, and progressive politics and is currently busy working on November campaigns both in his home state of Kentucky as well as Pennsylvania.
Greg Kaplan - University of Pennsylvania
Greg is a sophomore at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania where he studies Finance and Real Estate. He also serves as the inspector of elections for his ward in Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island
Ariel Werner - Brown University
Ariel Werner is a sophomore concentrating in Public Policy and Urban Studies at Brown University. She chairs Brown's effort with the Rhode Island Right to Vote campaign, a November ballot initiative to grant voting rights for disenfranchised exoffenders. She volunteers at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institution with Space in Prison for the Arts and Creative Expression, and she serves as an academic peer advisor and a campus organizer for local political campaigns. Her policy interests include election reform, foreign policy, drug policy, and civil rights. Ariel has interned in D.C. at the Foundation for Middle East Peace.
Allison Ehrich Bernstein - Brown University
Allison Ehrich Bernstein is a sophomore at Brown University, whose passion for progressive politics was fueled by growing up in southeastern Virginia and attending a high school also attended by Pat Robertson's grandkids. She currently serves as the Brown Democrats’ Local Politics Chair, a position that includes campaigning for Rhode Island Democratic candidates in the fall, and lobbying for progressive causes at the Rhode Island statehouse in the spring. Allison interned with the Communications Department at the Center for American Progress in the summer of 2006 and hopes to pursue a career that will combine her love of writing and politics. When not busying herself with political matters, Allison feeds an obsession with Broadway musicals, writes free verse poetry, and patiently awaits the release of the seventh Harry Potter book.
Adam Axler - Brown University
Adam Axler is a junior majoring in political science and community health at Brown University. He is an academic peer advisor and a member of the Brown Men's Ski Team. His policy interests include health care reform, fiscally responsible economic policy and sexuality education. He has interned for SEICUS.
South Carolina
Daniella Wassel - University of South Carolina
Daniella Wassel is a fourth year English major at the University of South Carolina, where she is minoring in Political Science in hopes of one day earning her JD/MPA. She is active in her university's concerts programming board as well as the campus chapter of the Feminist Majority Leadership Foundation. Daniella's foremost goal as a student rep of Campus Progress is to get her fellow students thinking about the change they can make in public policy and all levels of politics.
Tennessee
Gabriel Hemphill - Vanderbilt University
Gabriel is a senior at Vanderbilt University double majoring in English and philosophy. Campus involvement includes: Ingram Scholarship Program (Senior Leader,) Momentum Dance Company, and Expressions Dance Company, which is an afterschool program he created three years ago which offers formal dance training and technique to highschool students in lower income communities. Outside of Vanderbilt, he works with Nashville Cares, a local HIV/AIDS organization, as well as the Human Rights Campaign of Nashville. As an active student leader and member of Nashville, he wants to create a cohesive group of students and community leaders that come together to address multiple progressive issues simultaneously.
Hannah Daugherty - University of Tennessee
Hannah is a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in theater at the University of Tennessee. She currently holds two campus jobs: one with the oncampus newspaper, The Daily Beacon, and the other is still pending in the theater department.
Texas
Michael Jacques Menez - Tarrant County College
Michael Jacques Menez is a 31 yearold French citizen who is a student at Tarrant County College in Arlington, Texas majoring in history. He is interested in social issues such as reproductive freedoms, gay issues and rights, workers rights, civil liberties, and unions' rights.
Kordirichi Mujtabaa - Texas Southern University
Kordirichi attends Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas and is majoring in pharmacy. She grew up in and eventually became a volunteer to a community center near TSU that focuses on enlightening and unifying the surrounding community. Her political interests are minority rights and government equalization of economic distribution among historically African-American universities.
Dan Jackson - University of North Texas
Dan is attending the University of North Texas as an undergraduate as a film student, but later "converted" to philosophy. He plans to graduate in May 2007 with a BA in philosophy and religion studies and continue his education in pursuit of a PhD in sociology and/or public administration. Dan grew up in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area until moving to San Antonio for high school.
Eric Wilson - University of Houston-Downtown
Eric Wilson is a junior majoring in political science at the University of HoustonDowntown. He is most interested in issues relating to foreign policy, national security, poverty, and healthcare. In addition, he has an affinity for congress, specifically the United States Senate. Eric also works as a substitute teacher within his local public school district.
Hooman Hedayati - University of Texas-Austin
Hooman Hedayati is an Iranian immigrant, student, and political activist who founded Texas Students Against the Death Penalty in 2005 and the national organization, Students Against the Death Penalty in 2006. He has since been committed to activist campaigning for the abolition of capital punishment. Hedayati was presented the "Youth Service Award" by the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. He is also a board member of the Texas Moratorium Network and member of Campaign to End the Death Penalty. Hedayati assumed responsibility for organizing the 2006 anti-death penalty alternative spring break. He recruited a record number of participants by inclusively using new media advertising outlets. Hooman’s media-savvy promotion of the alternative spring break attracted the attention of MTVu and NPR, which sent a camera crew to Austin to cover the alternative spring break activities.
Vermont
John Meany - University of Vermont
John Meany is a senior at the University of Vermont, where he is double majoring in political science and history. He enjoys debate, reading, martial arts, and travel. After graduation he plans to teach English abroad and then attend law or graduate school. If he could change one policy he would enforce the NonProliferation Treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons.
Virginia
Antonina King - Hampton University
Antonina is a senior English arts major at Hampton University. She serves as a cabinet member for the student government association and is president of Sigma Tau Delta as well as the International English Honor Society. Antonina is interested in international and domestic social issues and conducts research on U.S. foreign policy in the Carribbean.
Richael Faithful - College of William and Mary
Richael Faithful is a senior at the College of William and Mary. Her selfdesigned, interdisciplinary degree, Studies in American Inequality, Social Thought, and Political Economy reflects her longtime interest in progressive activism. Richael spends a majority of her activistlife engaged in identity politics and civil rights organizing for people of color, gay rights, and gender and labor issues. Currently, she is trying her hand at freelance journalism while promoting the liberal publication she helped cofound, the William and Mary Progressive, in its third year.
Andrew Shelnutt - George Mason University
Drew Shelnutt is a thirdyear student at George Mason University pursuing a B.A. in government and international politics and a B.S. degree in psychology. He has served as secretary of the George Mason Undergraduate Moot Court Board, Public Relations director of the George Mason Chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and chair of the University Scholars Recruitment and Enrollment Committee. Drew is also a member of the University Chamber Singers, the Mason Ambassadors, the University Scholars Mentor Advisory Group, and serves as a peer advisor with The Freshman Center and a resident advisor in the President's Park area.
D. Adam Sowder - Virginia Western Community College
Adam Sowder is a second year student at Virginia Western Community College with plans to attend VA Tech next fall. He is the vice president of the Student Government Association at VWCC. Adam is working this year to expand awareness for Virginia's Community College Transfer Grant Program (new legislation coming for 2007) by organizing events and lobbying. He is devoted to promoting community and awareness amongst his fellow students while supporting their progressive ideas.
Eugene Resnick - University of Virginia
Eugene is a first year studying Government, Politics and Anthropology. He was born in Moscow, and moved to New York City at the age of four. He is on the Executive Board of the University Democrats, a representative to the Student Council, Chairman of the Roosevelt Institution Civil Rights Policy Center, and tutor for struggling inner city youth. He is also in the process of forming the first-ever College Democrats of Virginia Federation. He is a strong advocate for Israel, and an active member and supporter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. His passions are LGBT rights and issues, access to health care, civil rights and liberties, education reform, and eradication of poverty.
Washington
Rachel Setzer - Cornish College of the Arts
Rachel Setzer is a senior at majoring in photography and sculpture at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle WA. She has been politically active since the age of 12 and has been involved with Amnesty International, Students for a Free Tibet, The National Jewish Democratic Council, NARAL, and several other organizations. In addition to human rights and civil rights, Rachel also seeks to erase poverty, and move toward more fair and open elections, and eventually publiclyfunded elections. Her heroes include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, John Lennon, Ayn Rand, and Randi Rhodes.
Nate Warren - Western Washington University
Nate is a junior studying demography and sociology at Western Washington University. He is the student representative for the academic coordinating committee and a leader with Amnesty International, the World Injustice Awareness Club and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Nate also works with the Sudan Divestment Task Force. He is most passionate about human rights and environmental matters.
West Virginia
Chris Scott - Shepherd University
Chris is a political science major and English minor at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia (but don’t call him a hillbilly!). His freshman year of college, he cofounded the Shepherd Progressive Action Committee (ShepPAC) with the aims of fostering a vibrant activist community of students and youth in the area. In the 20042005 school year, ShepPAC initiated a successful campaign made up of eight student organizations that pushed for 100% fair trade coffee in our dining services. He is also part of our university’s Multicultural Leadership Team, and his focus has been to educate other white people on how white privilege works and how we can be allies in the struggle for racial justice. He also likes to cook tasty veggie food, telling corny jokes, literature, and riding my bicycle.
Wisconsin
Mitra Jalali - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mitra is a junior at the UW-Madison majoring in Political Science. She served as the Director of Community Service from 2006-2007 on Wisconsin Union Directorate, the University's student programming board. She also works with the United Way of Dane County's Non-Profit Leadership Institute to develop training programs for non-profit organizations in the Madison area, and is the founder of Change, Inc., a student-run organization that seeks to develop leadership and professional skills in students interested in non-profit careers. In her spare time, Mitra roadtrips to Chicago, attempts to hone her poker playing skills, and plans free burrito hip-hop foursquare competitions and reggaeton dance parties.
Jake Velleman - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Jake is a rising junior at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, majoring in political science. Becoming politically involved during the 2004 election cycle, he switched his major and focus to politics and became active in the College Democrats organization. Additionally, he is active in Israel advocacy on campus and through the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He is passionate about student outreach and political involvement, as well as issues concerning civil liberties, foreign policy, and government reform. Jake is a national officer of the College Democrats of America, loves to travel, and hopes to one day enter the Foreign Service.
Natalie Gwishiri - North Carolina A&T State University
Natalie attends North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she’s a sophomore liberal arts major with a concentration in African American history. She plans on becoming a part of The Register, our student based newspaper and is a member of the 2009 SIT council, which helps the SGA get their functions prepared and spread the word about them. Natalie is also part of The Mind Movement, a non for profit organization that was started by a fellow member of the class of 2009 and is getting off the ground this semester. Along with that, she’s a Peer Advisor and helps freshmen make the transition from high school smoothly. Throughout high school and college, she has helped tutor elementary school kids, volunteered at a food bank, and other various volunteer projects.
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