Students Learn About Election Process At National Conventions

Five UNC Charlotte students are attending the two presidential nominating conventions this summer – one as an elected delegate and four through an academic program with The Washington Center. Four of the students are pursuing majors or minors in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, while the fifth is a finance major in the Belk College of Business.

Roman Green and Ashley Martin are attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, while Luisa Donoso, Richard Duane and Sebastian Feculak are attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Feculak, a political science and economics major, is representing North Carolina as an elected delegate. During the past year, he assisted in building a grassroots organization in Charlotte to support Bernie Sanders. With a goal to represent Sanders’ values at the convention, Feculak vied as a delegate in District 9. While not elected at the district level, he prevailed at the statewide convention.

“I’m hoping that out of this experience that I’m able to participate in the process that builds a stronger Democratic platform, and watch history be made,” Feculak said.

The other four students applied for The Washington Center’s Academic Seminars program, which provides participants an inside perspective on the presidential nominating conventions. UNC Charlotte originally formed an academic partnership with The Washington Center, a not-for-profit, nonpartisan educational organization, in 2012. The university organized the 49er Democracy Experience, a series of educational events and activities for the campus and broader communities to learn about the political process.

“The University was the Washington Center’s academic partner during the 2012 Charlotte DNC,” said Eric Heberlig, professor of political science and public administration. “Their seminars allowed our students to learn from faculty and political leaders from around the country. The center arranged internships for our students with many nationally and internationally recognized organizations during the convention.”

Based upon the positive feedback from students who participated in The Washington Center initiatives in 2012, UNC Charlotte continued its partnership with the center and recruited students who would be interested in participating at 2016 conventions, Heberlig said.

Martin, a business marketing major and political science minor, is a volunteer on the RNC’s official Committee on Arrangements, which plans and manages the convention. This past summer, she interned with Rep. Mark Walker in Washington, D.C.

“I believe this experience will provide insight, knowledge and skills that are unmatchable elsewhere,” Martin said. “The wide range of academic seminars and fieldwork responsibilities will provide real-life experience as to how national conventions operate, the workings of presidential politics and an inside look at political campaigns.”

An anthropology and political science major, Donoso was motivated to attend this year’s DNC based upon Julian Castro’s keynote speech at the 2012 convention in Charlotte.

“Most of the work that I’ve done in the past is very local and grassroots, so I can’t imagine what it’s like to work on a political platform on a national level,” Donoso said. “More than anything, I’m excited for the fieldwork experience. I applied for media placement as my first preference and Host Committee as my second. But, the learning and experience you could gain from hands-on work in any placement is a once in a lifetime chance.”

Duane has been interested in politics and activism for most of his life. As a computer science and political science major, he envisions using his programming and Web design knowledge to benefit a political campaign or other personal cause. As a middle school student, he began paying attention to politics “since that is where issues are intensely debated and decided.”

A finance major in the Belk College of Business, Green was involved with the campaign of Ohio Gov. John Kasich. “I was interested in attending the RNC, because I always have been fascinated by national politics, and this year is anything but ordinary,” he said. “I wanted to witness the history of this baffling election year.”

Words: Phillip Brown | Images: Feculak (top image.) Left to right: Green, Donoso, Duane, Martin.