Fall 2004

Politics in action, on campus and out on the trail

by Julie Smith and Lauren Shallish ’05

The election of 2004 provided an extraordinary opportunity for current HWS students to engage in the important issues of our time. Various campus groups got politically active, HWS Votes!, the brainchild of Public Service Office Director Ave Bauder ’81 and William Smith sophomore Jane Erickson, became the signature effort to engage students in the election and to register voters. Classroom discussions studied the history of elections, current trends and coalition politics. Student organizations sponsored events to rally support for their cause. Guest speakers brought an expertise on issues and electoral voter patterns.

“Our campus was alive with political conversation,” said Amanda Allen, a William Smith junior. “From left to right, we had students expressing their views. It was fun and I learned a great deal.”

Political Science Professor Craig Rimmerman agrees. “Participation was much more pronounced this year than in years past, largely because we did so much more on campus educationally to prepare for this election,” he says.

Kicking things off was HWS Votes!, which began its voter registration drive in mid-September, operating five student-staffed registration centers at various campus sites. Volunteers encouraged their classmates to register, either in person or online. If they were already registered, volunteers helped them obtain absentee ballots from their hometowns.

“As U.S. citizens, it is our fundamental right to vote,” says Erickson. “It is imperative that students be able to utilize this right, and also have the recourse to make an educated and informed choice on Election Day.”

HWS Votes! followed the registration drive with a voter education drive, holding nearly 20 educational programs. Some were used to promote partisan views while others were focused on the debates. Many involved HWS professors, reaching out to help students learn outside of the classroom.

“The most impressive outcome for me was the level of discourse occurring between students and faculty members,” says Bauder of the programming. “It was so civil and thoughtful. There wasn’t a lot of cynicism or derision.”

Adding to the discussion during this period were leading intellectuals featured as part of The President’s Forum lecture series. Featured speakers were Elaine Kamarck, a lecturer at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Thomas E. Patterson, the author of “Vanishing Voter: Civic Involvement in an Age of Uncertainty” and “Out of Order,” an exploration of the media’s role in politics.
Many student groups were involved in the effort to present varying political points of view. Leading volunteers included junior Genny Finkle, president of the College Democrats, sophomore Peter Gregory, president of the College Republicans, and senior Audrey Southern, an organizer for the Progressive Student Union.

“Working with HWS Votes! and doing volunteer work for America Coming Together in Philadelphia this fall, I have learned how important grassroots efforts are,” says Finkle.

The results of the election haven’t dampened her enthusiasm, either. She and other members of the College Democrats are working on a manifesto that they plan to share with the Democratic National Committee, outlining ways the party can better reach out to youth and improve the DNC platform for the future.

Because of a perceived liberal bias on the part of the media, the College Republicans organized a film festival that portrayed President George W. Bush in a better light. They screened “Journeys with George,” “Farenhype 911”and “Stolen Honor.”

The Progressive Student Union, meanwhile, attempted to provide students an option in dealing with politics that goes beyond mainstream ideology. “Without diverse and involved political activism on campus,” says Southern, “HWS would be missing an important part of the educational process. It is what keeps campus politics vibrant and engaged.”

Beyond Campus

Taking part in the political process this fall has not been confined to current students. The high level of involvement witnessed on campus is evidenced in the work of many of the Colleges’ alumni and alumnae, who play significant roles in campaigns and in the government. Rodney Frelinghuysen ’69 L.H.D. ’01 won his bid for a fifth term to Congress, representing the 11th District of New Jersey, and Joe Kyrillos ’82 is the State Republican Chairman for that state. Ludwig Gaines ’88, has served since 2003 as a member of the City Council in Alexandria, Va.. Robert Marsh ’82 is currently a D.C. lobbyist who, until recently, worked in the George W. Bush White House as special assistant for legislative affairs to Chief of Staff Andrew Card Jr., and has served three terms in the Massachusetts State House.

Then there are the alumni and alumnae who may not hold office but who are most definitely civically engaged.

Yoselin Genao ’00 at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Yoselin Genao ’00 found her political bearings growing up in the Dominican Republic. In a society where your party affiliation weighs heavily, she watched her father lose his job because of election results. “I saw the importance of voting at a very early age, which translated into my interest in politics when I arrived in the States,” says Genao.
Much of Genao’s work today is focused on getting a Latino voice heard in mainstream politics. She serves as director of such nonprofit organizations as Libre (“Freedom”) and Somos Mas (“We Are More”) that are dedicated to engaging Latino voters in the New York City area. She aims to show the importance of being a registered voter as a means of empowerment.

Genao spends her time canvassing neighborhoods and giving advice—all the while maintaining a successful law practice and serving as a consultant and board member for various nonprofit organizations. A powerful and influential role model, she also advocates on behalf of Latina women, emphasizing their right to choose when it comes to reproductive matters, as well as domestic violence among all races.
For Chris McInerney ’01, joining the political fray was a complete leap of faith. After graduation, McInerney went to work for a mutual fund clearinghouse in New York City, but found that less than fulfilling. So, in April 2003, he gave two weeks notice, forfeited his apartment lease, moved to D.C. and began working as a volunteer intern in for Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie. Since then, he has secured a full-time position with the RNC and has risen through the ranks.

Robert Marsh ’82 (right) shaking hands with White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card at an HWS event in Washington, D.C.

Like McInerney, Jeremy Cooney ’04 did not take a direct route to the political arena. Cooney came to Hobart and William Smith intent on studying medicine. After two semesters of chemistry, he began to steer a different course, turning his attention to his long-time interest in public policy. After taking Social Policy and Community Activism with Professor Craig Rimmerman, Cooney knew he had found something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

With the help of a grant from the HWS Center for Career Services, he spent the summer of his junior year in Washington, D.C., interning in Rep. Louise Slaughter’s office, where he got to see first-hand just what it takes to make a career out of public service. As a senior, he explored all facets of federal education policy and issues surrounding school vouchers through his political science Honors project.
After graduation, Cooney went to work in Rochester, N.Y., for Mayor Bill Johnson before taking a position at Slaughter’s local office there. It’s a position he holds today.

Serving as a staff assistant, Cooney focuses on education, student loan issues and local education initiatives in public schools.
Bill Gotfredson ’04 has proof that politics can and does work on a grassroots level. This fall, he served as campaign manager for Roberta “Robi” Blute, who began her campaign for the state senate in Massachusetts as write-in candidate. Gotfredson has been in charge of everything from events to fund-raising, organizing town captains to recruiting volunteers. A typical day could begin anywhere around 7:30 a.m. and run late into the evening.

“I had my hands in everything,” he says. “The days can be long, but it’s important that we get the message out there. Politics today are becoming more and more partisan, and we have to make sure that people know the issues.”

Michael Mills ’96, who lives in Atlanta, can testify that civic engagement is just one of the issues on the forefront this year. His resume is full of political experience, ranging from communications development to putting the Kyoto Protocol into effect, to serving as press secretary for Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor. He also has written a book titled “Battling Democracy’s Decline: Lessons from the Trenches.”

Currently, Mills manages the public relations firm communications 21 and serves on the board of YES! Atlanta, a nonprofit organization that mentors at-risk teenagers in the greater metropolitan area. He says the way to target voters of all ages and backgrounds in any election is to focus on the issues.

“Citizens don’t want rhetoric and partisanship,” Mills notes, “but engaged and inspiring politicians who can speak to and act upon voters’ views, hopes and real issues.”