For me, conducting the Elect Her–Campus Women Win event at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, meant going home again. I grew up in Vandalia, which is just down the road, so it was a lot of fun to meet young women from all around my home state.
Organized by Amber Vlasnik, director of the Women’s Center, and Kelli Paul, vice president of student government, the event taught students both specific requirements for running for office and successful strategies for winning. Vlasnik was pleased that AAUW and Running Start offer this training opportunity, saying, “It is so important to provide spaces for women to gather to explore their leadership strategies and build their skills. Elect Her helped provide this space at Wright State.”
Wright State University has nearly 19,000 students, most of whom are commuters, so it can be a challenge to connect with fellow students. Paul is a typical Wright State student: She’s married with a small child (and another one on the way) and commutes — yet she still finds time to serve on the student government.
“We have many talented and passionate women on campus who could be amazing in office; what they need is encouragement, training, and support to find the confidence to run and be elected. Elect Her cultivated a supportive learning environment where women could empower themselves and one another,” says Paul.
In addition to Paul, three other outstanding young women who currently serve in student government spoke to inspire their colleagues to run for office. Emily Sexton, who serves on the university’s Activities Board and Executive Board, Marissa Morton, who serves as the speaker of the house, and Brandy Zapata, who serves as a residential senator, all shared their experiences with the group.
Dayton City Commissioner Nan Whaley, who earned her master’s in public administration from Wright State, spoke to the group about her own path to public service. Growing up in a politically active family, Whaley was the youngest woman ever elected to the Dayton City Commission and is now serving her second term.
In addition to the local women, I was so pleased to see a young woman from Egypt attend the training. With her country in the throes of a new government and an emerging democracy, her experience in the United States will be invaluable when she returns home. The women from Wright State all bring a unique perspective to a nontraditional college experience, and student government is the leadership thread that connects them.
This post was written by Nancy Bocskor, president of the Nancy Bocskor Company.
AAUW Dialog 
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