Two University of Dayton students found a way to get involved with the upcoming presidential election by accepting internships with political campaigns.
The College Republican National Committee has been recruiting UD students to participate in a volunteer internship working on Mitt Romney’s campaign in Dayton, said UD student Alex Holecek, a junior psychology major. Through a volunteer internship, Holecek and Kayla Tillia, a junior criminal justice major, have been working directly for the campaign committee. Holecek began the internship in August and Tillia began working with the campaign committee earlier this month.
As an intern, both students have provided assistance with running the campaign in the Dayton area.
This work includes calling independent voters, going door-to-door, attending campaign rallies and gauging favored candidates among voters in the Dayton area, Holecek said.
Although an intern with Mitt Romney’s campaign, Holecek said her work does not focus on attacking the opposing party, the Democrats.
“Working with the campaign has provided experiences essential to furthering my career goals,” Holecek said. “For students, the campaign internships allow for a flexible schedule and a chance to add experience to resumes.”
Holecek said the work she does for the campaign follows the line of work she hopes to enter in the future.
“I want to go into marketing and essentially that’s what I’m doing,” Holecek said. “I’m marketing the campaign and their ideology.”
Holecek also said that experiences with knowledgeable campaign members have allowed her to learn new skills with each day. She said her work visiting with independent voters door-to-door has been one of the many rewards of the internship.
Tillia also said the internship has been a good opportunity to meet new people and gain valuable experience.
“I’ve always had an interest in politics, and I try to keep up with current events,” Tillia said. “The opportunity to get more involved [with the campaign] interested me.”
Hopeful for a job with the government in the future, Tillia said the campaign internship presented an opportunity for her to get involved with the government at a basic level.
“The internship experience, so far, has been a positive one,” Tillia said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and I enjoy the people I work with.”
In working with the campaign, Tillia said she has gained greater awareness of the candidates and the campaign process as a whole. Many campaigns encourage students and young people to get involved and learn about the democratic process, according to Tillia.
Holecek also said the experience has showed her the importance of getting involved and learning about the campaign process.
“Getting involved in the democratic process is something that should be important to all students,” Holecek said. “Everyone should try to get involved because whatever side you’re on, the issues are going to affect our generation, so it’s better to have a stance.”
If you are interested in getting involved with the College Republican National Committee or would like more information on the organization, visit crnc.com.
