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Program fires up young politicos to run for office

By Gisgie Gendreau

Photo by Derrick L. Turner Danielle Ryskamp (left), a college student from Kalamazoo, participates in a Tomorrow’s Political Leaders’ session titled “In the Limelight: Dealing with the Media.” Patricia Spitzley (right), communications director for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, comments on the importance of proper attire and appearance when dealing with the media. Other speakers included: T. J. Bucholz, communications director for the Michigan Department of Community Health; Sara Linsmeier-Wurfel, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Agriculture; Brad Wurfel, press secretary for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and Dan Pero, former chief of staff for Gov. John Engler.

Some 20 college students are spending part of their summer break learning how to be the next Howard Dean – or how not to be.

Stemming a trend of lackluster political interest by young adults, a new MSU program prepares college students and recent graduates to run for office.

Participants began the program on May 14 and are learning how to run for office and what to do once they’re elected. The program runs through May 28.

“We hope to fire up young adults to become more interested – and active – in the political process,” said Brian McGrain, the Tomorrow’s Political Leaders (TPL) project manager. “Our program will give them the tools to become engaged and successful, whether they hope to run their own political campaign or someone else’s.”

Students will write and deliver an announcement speech, learn how to work with reporters and, of course, how to raise money. They also get to spend time working on their platform – from pro-life issues to lesbian and gay rights.

They’ve got a fire in their belly, a list of close-to-their-hearts causes and the energy to conquer the world.

“Representing the concerns of my peers allowed me to envision how you can make important differences in people’s lives through politics,” said Joshua Dyer of Aurora, Ill., a TPL participant who is a founding member and chief negotiator of his university’s graduate employee union. “The dynamic, interactive curriculum that TPL offers is just what I need to learn how to campaign and enter politics.”

Who says the young are not interested in politics?

Students in the program include majors in physics, education, biochemistry, public relations, and, of course, political science.

Current and former government hard hitters will share their war stories and faculty and practitioners will deliver curriculum that’s hands-on and practical.

The Tomorrow’s Political Leaders program is one of three leadership programs run by MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, the nonpartisan public policy network at MSU, and is funded by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

For additional information about the program, visit the Web at www.ippsr.msu.edu/TPL/