• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
      Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
    • CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
      CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
    • WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
      WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
      Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
    • It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
      It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
    • What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
      What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • No image
      Pentimento’s Open Mic is Like an Old Patchwork Quilt–Worn, Yet Cozy
    • No image
      Kanye’s Antisemitism Steps on his Shoe Brand
    • Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
      Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Sports and Wellness
    • Student-Athlete of October
      Student-Athlete of October
    • Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
      Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
    • The Case for Body Neutrality
      The Case for Body Neutrality
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
      Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
    • Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
      Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
    • The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
      The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Alexandria Otero News, News and FeaturesFebruary 19, 2016

Campus political organizations influence national political process

Wellesley students with Hillary Clinton ’69 at a rally. Photo courtesy of Wellesley Students for Hillary.

At Wellesley College, political discussion is easily accessible, and this election cycle has given rise to political groups representing the multitude of views present on Wellesley’s campus: Wellesley Students for Bernie, Wellesley Students For Hillary and the Wellesley College Republicans. All groups are focused on representing their candidate on and off campus, and they are completely different in organization and ideology. However, they are all dominant forces on this campus when it comes to furthering the political process at Wellesley and beyond.

This week, Wellesley students for Bernie launched their first official meeting of the semester at a center table stocked with information, posters and stickers in the Lulu Fireplace Room. Approximately ten students attended at the peak of the meeting, and the casual atmosphere was largely representative of supporters of the Vermont senator. When a large group came to the table, Netanya Perluss ’19 gave information about canvassing and phone banks to occur in the coming months. The groups acts largely independent of the Sanders Campaign, merely acquiring resources provided on the campaign site as well as from a recent Wellesley alumna on campaign staff.

“It’s a way to empower individual groups. Resources are provided online,” Netanya Perluss ’19 said, stating that the lack of intervention from the larger campaign is reflective of the grassroots nature of Senator Sanders’ campaign.

Although there was not a large physical presence at the meeting, the group has had a strong online presence since the summer. Recently Wellesley Students for Bernie released a short video featuring several Wellesley students holding handwritten signs stating their reasons for supporting Sanders behind a simplistic background accompanied by folky music. The video has since become viral, and various news groups such as The Washington Post and Politico have featured the group’s video declaring support for Sanders.

Members enthusiastically discussed the importance

of a strong online presence for their group and for the Sanders campaign.

“We have a strong online presence, and we are trying to make a physical one,”  Claire Devlin ’18, the other member in charge of putting together this meeting along with Perluss, said.

In the coming months, Wellesley Students for Bernie members plan to continue canvassing and get people excited about the upcoming primaries. However, they plan to maintain their presence online.

“You can have strong communities online. It facilitates sharing information and sharing of articles,” Perluss explained.

Other groups on campus have also been active in the political process; however they have focused their energy on advancing their group in the physical world. Most notably, Wellesley Students for Hillary has been making plans to canvass in the Massachusetts area, phone bank on campus and express their support for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ’69.

Although the group is actively celebrating their candidate on campus and online, their mission is not to change the minds of students on campus.

“We are not out here to change minds,”  Hannah Lindow ’16, president of Wellesley Students for Hillary, said.

However, Lindow does agree that it is important to support the candidate unapologetically at Wellesley and off campus as well.

“It is our responsibility at Wellesley, as well as outside of Wellesley, to support our candidate,” Lindow commented.

Wellesley Students for Hillary has been doing just that by participating in canvasses weekly, holding phone banks and holding weekly discussions in order to learn more about their candidate and her stance on issues.

“This is something I’ve been trying to do in my presidency, in part arming people with good tools to answer various questions that students have about Hillary’s candidacy,” Lindow added. Throughout this semester, the group plans to continue its role as an invaluable asset to the campaign in the upcoming Massachusetts primary on March 1.

While the Wellesley Students for Bernie and Wellesley Students for Hillary groups have been actively supporting and campaigning for their candidate  physically or online, the Wellesley College Republicans group has been waiting for the primary race to be decided.

“We’re not really involved in supporting a certain candidate since our members support different candidates, but as we get closer to the general election we’ll start having canvassing, phone banking and other opportunities to support the Republican ticket,” Alexis Zhang ’16 the president of the Wellesley College Republicans, said.

The group has biweekly meetings and has maintained a presence on campus by hosting debate watches co-sponsored with Wellesley Students for Hillary, Wellesley Students for Bernie and the non-partisan group Committee for Political and Legislative Awareness. In the past, the group’s members have also been involved in general elections such as the campaign for current Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. Alexis notes that involvement of college work has been important to the political process because they are responsible for a lot of the field work involved in campaigning.

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleWellesley welcomes its 14th president with eager expectations for the future
Next articleNation & World: 2/24

You may also like

Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”

CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure

WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2023 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top