Rachel Kilburg
Loras College
Rachel is a champion of civic engagement at Loras College, while also being a dedicated student, athlete, and volunteer. Her leadership played a critical role in encouraging open political dialogue and bi-partisan political events on the Loras College campus during the 2016 Iowa Caucus and leading up to it. Rachel and her fellow student leaders worked together to emphasize an inclusive approach to political discourse on our campus, founded in constructive dialogue about the issues rather than divisive political rhetoric. This approach to encouraging and cultivating civil public discourse has deep roots in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and at Loras College.
Her academic pursuits in her chosen major fields of Political Science and Spanish and her drive to seek out transformative experiential learning opportunities, such as her current Great Lakes internship with the City of Dubuque's Economic Development Department, will propel her to great heights. And, as a Loras College Duhawk, I anticipate Rachel will continue to contribute responsibly in all she does both professionally and personally to promote inclusion and respect for all.
Personal Statement
Beginning when I was just fifteen years old, I have campaigned for over thirteen different political candidates ranging from local county supervisor to president of the United States. As I balanced school, athletics, and activism, I recognized a great need to foster an informed citizenry throughout my community. As a senior in high school, I solely planned and hosted a congressional candidate forum which drew the largest crowd of any forum that election season. As I progressed into my college career, I continued pursuing my mission of promoting a politically informed and civically active campus community. I am currently using my political experience and Presidential position on the student Democratic organization to encourage open political dialogue and bi-partisan political events on campus. Additionally, I have recently accepted an internship with the City of Dubuque as a way to further develop my understanding of local governmental operations in order to continue to pursue my political passion.
