Personal Statement

I became interested in democratic engagement during the midst of the 2016 election. At the time, I was just a 17-year-old high school student, but even then I had a passion for politics. I was inspired by the activists, the rhetoric, and the stakes of the election, and although I was too young to cast a ballot, I was determined to make my voice heard. I began working with a voter outreach project in my community and soon realized not everyone in my generation shared my enthusiasm for voting. Many were apathetic or disillusioned with the democratic process, and I soon became determined to understand why. Since then, I have conducted research on millennial voter turnout, organized voter registration drives, fought to keep polling centers on campus opened, and advocated for student voter rights. I have begun to see the young people of my community reengage in the democratic process and I hope to continue my efforts in the future by creating a town forum that would bring together my city with the students of my university to discuss issues important to our town and cultivate a spirit of civic engagement throughout Eastern North Carolina.