Spring Break
Making Engaged a reality
Issue date: 5/1/08
The Hopkins Engaged initiative, conceived entirely by students, is an important project for encouraging politicians, local community leaders and students at Hopkins and in the Baltimore area into active dialogue about the pressing issues facing our country today. When governing institutions are unresponsive to the grievances of young people, youths seem to react in one of two ways: They stop voting or start doing something. The best way to combat civic apathy towards politics, particularly among youth, is to engage people rather than remain passive in the face of this situation.
Political engagement can only come about through the revitalization of politics through campaigns promoting activism, education and political involvement on campus and in the local community. It is not enough to poster a few walls or to hand out flyers promoting political participation. Students need to engage in a dialogue. Communication is key to giving a voice to youth and breaking the disconnect between politicians and their constituencies.
The initiative has been well received by the administration, and Dean Paula Burger has expressed tremendous enthusiasm for implementing the proposal and making the event a reality for fall 2008, on the eve of the national presidential election. However, student organizers still have not finalized a budget, which is the primary necessity for making the proposal a reality. If organizers want to hold an event and attract high-profile political figures and an appreciable number of attendees, they must be more pro-active during the coming months.
We understand that organizing such a large-scale event is a difficult, complex undertaking. There is still some time, however, to get this ambitious program off the ground. Organizers must improve communication with the administration and work with Dean Burger to take their ideas to the next level. Only then can their vision for active political engagement among people in and around the Hopkins community be realized.
Political engagement can only come about through the revitalization of politics through campaigns promoting activism, education and political involvement on campus and in the local community. It is not enough to poster a few walls or to hand out flyers promoting political participation. Students need to engage in a dialogue. Communication is key to giving a voice to youth and breaking the disconnect between politicians and their constituencies.
The initiative has been well received by the administration, and Dean Paula Burger has expressed tremendous enthusiasm for implementing the proposal and making the event a reality for fall 2008, on the eve of the national presidential election. However, student organizers still have not finalized a budget, which is the primary necessity for making the proposal a reality. If organizers want to hold an event and attract high-profile political figures and an appreciable number of attendees, they must be more pro-active during the coming months.
We understand that organizing such a large-scale event is a difficult, complex undertaking. There is still some time, however, to get this ambitious program off the ground. Organizers must improve communication with the administration and work with Dean Burger to take their ideas to the next level. Only then can their vision for active political engagement among people in and around the Hopkins community be realized.
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