In addition to VoteFest events, students also participated in internships with the Democratic National Convention Host Committee and media organizations, including CNN and ABC News. These students gained behind-the-scenes access to convention planning and insights into how major news outlets cover conventions.
“I learned the messaging and strategy behind party conventions and politics,” said sophomore Michelle Doe, who interned with CNN. “It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I got unprecedented access to politicians and the media.”
Students also had the opportunity to attend live tapings of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Democratic National Convention at the United Center, where they witnessed speeches from former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama and the historic call for Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
“Being on the floor of the convention was an amazing experience,” said Justin Taylor, a fourth-year political science student. “Being so close to members of Congress and delegates humanized the election process for me and reminded me that it is the voices of everyday people that create the change we want to see.”
The Foreign Policy Institute also hosted a number of open discussions for the media and students. The Foreign Policy Institute’s founding director, David Axelrod, hosted an event with Cook Political Report editor-in-chief Amy Walter, Dave Wasserman, and other political analysts. These briefings provided about 60 journalists from major media outlets with a deeper understanding of the Trump and Harris campaigns. In addition, the Foreign Policy Institute hosted a series of breakfast discussions with students from policy schools at Georgetown, Harvard, and Cornell, where students spoke with Heitkamp about the importance of public service and how to get involved in politics.
Students also heard from Representative Justin J. Pierson, Democratic Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, voting advocate Jahnavi Rao, and Gen Z Congresswoman Maxwell Frost. They also attended a live taping of The New York Times’ “The Run-Up” podcast featuring Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and a Q&A with Pete Buttigieg.
Riding to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention
Seven University of Chicago students traveled to Milwaukee with Heitkamp and the Domestic Policy Institute staff by train to attend the Republican National Convention in July, engaging in political dialogue along the way.
Yasmine Ali, a third-year college student, was interested in the trip in order to immerse herself in the campaign process, and “explore and listen with open ears” while learning from her conservative peers.
