Politicians, pundits and party members have converged in Charlotte, N.C., for this week’s Democratic National Convention, and six University of Alabama students made the trek to volunteer with the Alabama Democratic Party.
Will Dodd, a senior majoring in political science and history, interned with the state party in Montgomery over the summer and jumped at the chance to attend the convention with the state delegation.
“I felt it was important enough to miss school because I knew the connections and experience I’d have would kind of offset missing my classwork,” Dodd said. “We’ve worked 20-hour days, but the connections I’ve made working with the party on a national level mean a lot, and I think that’s worth it in the end.”
Dodd and other UA students traveled to Charlotte last week and are spending their time working at the Alabama delegation’s headquarters, Sweet Home AlObama. They work to set up events, like a football tailgate Saturday or state delegation breakfasts, where they’ve hosted prominent speakers like Sen. Tom Harkin and Howard Dean.
Austen Parrish, a senior majoring in economics who also interned in Montgomery over the summer, said he never pictured himself working in politics.
“It’s not the flashy campaigns or talking points that keep me involved,” Parrish said. “It’s the overwhelming effect politics can have on our everyday lives that makes me feel an obligation.”
Dodd said he wanted to get involved with state politics to learn more about how things work in Alabama, and he enjoys representing his home state at the convention.
“My favorite part is just being able to represent Alabama, to let people know that the Democratic Party is still alive and working in Alabama,” Dodd said.
Though the hours are long and the workload strenuous, the other students echo Parrish’s sense of duty and motivation for getting involved in politics.
Beth Clayton, a student at Auburn University and president of the Alabama College Democrats, is working in Charlotte with the UA students and said she works in politics to help her peers understand the issues.
“I feel like a lot of young Americans are frustrated by the divisive nature of politics and can’t see what’s really on the line with each election,” Clayton said.
Prominent issues in the national political scene, like affordable healthcare and student loans, that are relevant to college-aged students also piqued their interests.
“Not only should we advocate for a better community for ourselves, we owe it to our children to fight for them the way our parents fought for us,” Clayton said.
Though Dodd, Parrish and Clayton will come back home to Alabama at the convention’s conclusion, their interest in politics and policy is not likely to wane any time soon.
“Don’t get involved in politics to elect a politician,” Parrish said. “Get involved for the policies that affect you and your community.”
