Image: Constitution Day panel flier via West Chester University’s website.
Last Tuesday, Sept. 17, dozens of students gathered in Sykes Theater to hear a panel of speakers. The panel, moderated by WCU’s Dr. Peter Loedel, featured three distinguished West Chester alumni, including Josh Maxwell, Leonard Altieri and Kamryn Davis. Rustin Urban Community Change AxiS (RUCCAS), the Department of Political Science and the Center for Civic Engagement and Social Impact organized the event in honor of Constitution Day and National Voter Registration Day. The panel discussed issues of civic engagement,encouraged students and young people to get involved in local politics, and spoke about career pathways for students majoring in political science. The alumni each carried different life experiences, political views and policy priorities, yet united on the importance of civic engagement.
The panel’s speakers are examples of West Chester alumni who have had exceptionally successful careers. Maxwell graduated from WCU with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2008. At the age of 26, he ran for mayor of Downingtown and became the youngest person to ever win that office. Maxwell currently serves on the Chester County Board of Commissioners, where he has served since 2020.
Another member of the panel, Altieri, graduated from WCU in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He then went on to graduate from Drexel University with a law degree and currently works as a zoning and land use attorney. Altieri currently serves on the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors in Delaware County.
Finally, Davis graduated from WCU in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She currently works with PA Youth Vote, an organization which seeks to increase civic engagement among young people and improve civics education in public schools. Over the years, she has grown a sizable following on TikTok encouraging young people to vote and posting educational videos on African American history.
Each panelist was first asked to discuss their experience as undergraduates and how it influenced the trajectory of their careers, and each of them described the many ways they got involved in West Chester campus activities. Altieri described how he was student government president from 2010 to 2011, while Maxwell recounted raising money for local charities. Davis, who mentioned her education being heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, talked about advocating for higher funding for the Black Student Union and better campus housing policies.
When the panelists were asked what motivates them in their political involvement, all of them emphasized their upbringing and life experiences. Davis detailed her experience as a Black woman with a disability and how she came to understand that many issues in her life and community were policy problems. Altieri and Maxwell discussed being politically motivated by witnessing local political and developmental decisions they disagreed with in their community.
The speakers were asked what advice they would give to current students, and all three gave very similar answers. They suggested taking classes that students wouldn’t normally take, and to “get out of your academic comfort zone.” Davis said that students should study abroad and experience new cultures, with Maxwell emphasizing that life is a lot cheaper as a college student than as an adult.
All three alumni strongly highlighted the importance of local and municipal politics. Altieri stressed that, while national politics are alluring and interesting, local politics are more important. “Our municipal elections impact you more on a day-to-day basis than any of those national elections will,” he said.
The speakers’ urging of young people to vote comes at a time when youth voter participation appears to be declining. According to polling from the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, the number of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 who plan on voting in the 2024 election has fallen to 49%. This is down from 2020, when that number stood at 57%. Davis’ advocacy for young Black people to vote comes at a time when only 38% of Black youth intend on voting in 2024. This is the lowest number among all demographics. According to the OECD, broad voter turnout in the last U.S. election was 65.4%, lagging behind many other developed countries.
Josh Czaja is a second-year Political Science major. JC1029473@wcupa.edu