Founding of Regent Young Democrats
When I first arrived at Regent University, I was impressed by the student body’s engagement with local, state-wide and national politics. Regent students are actively involved in political campaigns and promoting civic awareness. However, I soon realized that there was an emphasis on conservative policies and very little liberal representation. As an outspoken leftist and democrat, I was unsettled by the lack of left-leaning student organizations and speakers. Wanting to create an organization for like-minded students, I set out to establish a safe haven for democrats at Regent and help provide political diversity on-campus.
A common misconception at Regent is that none of the students are left-leaning; therefore, a club for democrats would be obsolete. Such a statement is incredibly untrue. During my time at Regent, I have bonded with fellow democrats. I have discovered that Regent students support several pillars of the Democratic Party, and emphasize important issues such as healthcare and prison reform, among others. A student organization for democrats at Regent has been eagerly anticipated by a significant portion of the student body. With this knowledge, I presented to Regent leadership a plan to form a chapter of Young Democrats on campus.
Recently, Regent Young Democrats was officially chartered as a student organization. While the process was tedious, the challenges were undoubtedly worth it. I am grateful for the amount of help I received from campus leadership throughout the past few months, particularly Dr. Kevin Grimm. Currently, Dr. Grimm serves as Regent Young Democrats’ faculty advisor. He is available as a resource to students interested in the club. Regent Young Democrats would not have been chartered without the support of Regent’s leadership within the Office of Student Activities and Leadership. The staff and professors who urged me to create Regent Young Democrats understand that Regent students hold diverse political views and that a variety of thought should be encouraged.
Regent Young Democrats will hold its first meeting this fall. The club is open to undergraduate and graduate students at Regent. Our team welcomes the entirety of Regent’s student body, regardless of political affiliation. However, membership will only be granted to those who align with the Democratic Party and seek to cultivate their affiliation with the party. Our mission at Regent Young Democrats is to promote community service and civic engagement for Regent students associated with the Democratic Party.
Next fall and spring, Regent Young Democrats aims to host fundraisers, campaign opportunities, speaking events, and voter registration information sessions. Our executive board currently consists of myself, Rebecca Shaw-Fuller, Sarah Neer, Elaina Jones, and Katherine Gilmore. If you would like to join the team or learn more about the club, please email us at regentyoungdemocrats@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram at @regentyoungdems. We are excited to see what the future holds!
