Pardee Alumna Youngest Woman Elected to Congress
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Pardee ’11) is the youngest woman ever elected to the United States Congress after winning New York’s 14th Congressional District, comprised of the Bronx and Queens, on November 6, 2018.
After upsetting longtime incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in the district’s June primary, Ocasio-Cortez defeated Republican Anthony Pappas, a St. John’s University professor in the general election.
“This is delightful news,” said Pardee School Dean Adil Najam. “As a school of international politics, the Pardee School could not be more proud to see our students taking up the challenge of public service, which is among the greatest challenges of our time.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who graduated from Boston University with degrees in international relations and economics, is a former organizer for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and a former staffer for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
In her campaign platform, Ocasio-Cortez promotes universal job guarantees, fully funded public schools and universities, paid family and sick leave and housing as a human right.
In a June 27, 2018 story in BU Today entitled “BU Alumna Wins Upset Congressional Primary in New York City,” Associate Provost and Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore (Wheelock ’87) said “[Ocasio-Cortez] is brilliant—she is boldly curious and always present. She makes me think and could always see multiple sides of any issue. [She] is also heart and soul real. It is wonderful to see [her] emerge as a leader—I can’t wait to see what happens when her time truly comes.”
Ocasio-Cortez isn’t the only Pardee School alumni who effected change through public service in 2018. Gina Ortiz Jones (Pardee ’03) won the Democratic primary for the Texas 23rd Congressional district in March and a subsequent runoff in May. Ortiz Jones graduated from the Pardee School with a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies. She also has a master’s degree from Boston University in Economics. After leaving Boston University, Ortiz Jones served with the U.S. Air Force.
“This is a district that very much mirrors the challenges and opportunities we face as a country,” Ortiz Jones told BU Today in a June 2018 interview. “It’s a majority-minority district, something the whole country will be by 2040. We talk about the Wall and immigration policy because 40 percent of the US-Mexico border is in this district. A lot of the issues being discussed nationally are playing out in this district.”
Andy Vargas (Pardee ’15) currently serves in the Massachusetts House of Representatives — the first Latino elected to the Massachusetts House from the Third Essex District.
In a December 2016 Alumni Spotlight with the Pardee School, Vargas discussed his time serving as a Haverhill City Councilor, being honored by El Mundo Boston as one of the Latino 30 Under 30 most influential young Latinos in Boston, and gave advice to current Pardee School students interested in pursuing careers in politics.
“Don’t be afraid to jump!” Vargas said. “There will never be a perfect time to run for office. The public sector may not pay you as well as the private sector, but I can assure you that the public sector needs you more. Go where you are needed. Jump!”