John Blessing
University of North GeorgiaThough only a first-year student, John Blessing has already distinguished himself as a leader for positive social change at the University of North Georgia. An active member of the group Students for a Progressive Society, John helps organize and lead initiatives aimed at eradicating political apathy and encouraging open dialogue and engagement. These events have focused on open discussions regarding immigration, social justice, LGBTQ identity, and climate change. He is additionally at work on an event geared toward encouraging students to vote. Off campus, John has been involved in several political campaigns, both at the local and national level. John's enthusiasm and sincere interest in bettering the world around him both inspires and engages his fellow students. We look forward to the positive impact he will have on the UNG community (and beyond!) in the coming years.
Personal Statement
In my opinion, politics is where we as Americans can create change and ensure social justice. Unfortunately, many have forgotten or lost hope in our political system and have all but abandoned it. One of my personal goals through my work with Students for a Progressive Society is fighting political apathy; thus, many of our events revolve around extinguishing such apathy and allowing fellow students to gain a more educated perspective on how politics does indeed affect us all. Through the use of political engagement, social responsibility and educating those around me, I am able to inform and thus create a system of knowledge that leads to change. I hope to create a public forum on my campus where people are able to promote political awareness about concerns such as minority issues, environmental protection, and the importance of voting, issues that are overlooked in today's political culture.