On the Campaign Trail
Lauren Estrella (CAS’10) enjoyed volunteering for the Obama campaign
Anyone who says college students aren’t politically active hasn’t met Lauren Estrella.
An American studies major with a minor in American politics, Estrella (CAS’10) worked on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign last year and had the chance to meet the candidate at a private function.
Estrella joined the BU College Democrats as a freshman; it was a way to engage in politics and to meet new friends. She was the freshman representative her first year, and as a sophomore served as treasurer on the group’s executive board.
Last year, she heard the Obama campaign needed volunteers, and she started helping out in the Cambridge office, doing clerical tasks and assisting at fundraising events.
“When I started, the Obama campaign was very small and needed all the help it could get,” Estrella says. “Hillary Clinton was doing much better in the polls and was predicted to win the race, but Obama hadn’t given up yet."
She remembers hearing Obama speak to volunteers at a small gathering in someone’s living room. “He thanked everyone for being there and was very warm and friendly,” she says. “He didn’t sound like politician, but rather like a concerned citizen wanting to make the country better; I really felt he had the means to do it.”
In addition to volunteering for the Obama campaign, Estrella campaigned door-to-door for John Edwards’ presidential campaign.
This year, says Estrella, the College Democrats will encourage BU students to register to vote, educate them about voting by absentee ballot, and make sure they know the location of their local voting station.
She will no longer serve on the executive board, but plans to still be involved with the group this year. She wants to do more volunteering, especially for causes that battle poverty.
Click here to learn more about the BU College Democrats Facebook group.
Amy Laskowski can be reached at amlaskow@bu.edu.
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