Former student government officers navigating multiple/minoritized identities in collegiate and post-college public office

Abstract

Many notable leaders in the United States previously served in their college’s student government, including Stacey Abrams, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Elijah Cummings. Findings in this article derive from a larger study on the experiences of former college student government officers who ran for or served in post-college public office between 2018-2021. Themes in this article reflect the experiences of participants who identify as Persons of Color, women, or gay/bisexual, and the nuances of gender, gender and race, race, and sexuality in the context of collegiate and post-college public office. Among others, recommendations for practice include a calling to student government advisors and university administrators to create and offer tools for participants with minoritized identities to successfully access and matriculate through collegiate public office.

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“…Each year, college students launch multifaceted campaigns in an effort to serve their student body as elected student government officials (Falvey, 1952;Goodman & Briscoe, 2022;Klopf, 1960). Because student government leaders have significant power on a college campus (Goodman, 2021;Klopf, 1960;Laosebikan-Buggs, 2006; and student government is a microcosm of U.S. politics and post-college public office (Avalos, 2019;Goodman, 2022aGoodman, , 2022c, it is important to understand the role elections play in furthering students' involvement in university operations. Given the range of issues found on college campuses, it is not uncommon for students to campaign on espoused values that are neoliberal and capitalist in nature.…”

College student government elections and the espousal of neoliberalism in campaign and platform discourse

“…Findings revealed concern for student finances and increasing student fees, proposed private sector solutions, an unacknowledged political climate, communications trends, and notable differences by institution type.Each year, college students launch multifaceted campaigns in an effort to serve their student body as elected student government officials (Falvey, 1952;Goodman & Briscoe, 2022;Klopf, 1960). Because student government leaders have significant power on a college campus (Goodman, 2021;Klopf, 1960;Laosebikan-Buggs, 2006;Miles, 2011) and student government is a microcosm of U.S. politics and post-college public office (Avalos, 2019;Goodman, 2022aGoodman, , 2022c, it is important to understand the role elections play in furthering students' involvement in university operations. Given the range of issues found on college campuses, it is not uncommon for students to campaign on espoused values that are neoliberal and capitalist in nature.…”