Running Start, a nonpartisan national organization that trains women on how to run for elected office, will be on Duke’s campus March 5 to lead a half-day workshop for college women. The training will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the fifth floor of McClendon Tower. Co-chaired by two Republican and two Democratic members of Congress, Running Start leads similar trainings not only on campuses across the country, but also in communities where women want to learn how to run for local, state, and national positions.
Sponsored by Duke’s Center for Politics (POLIS), and in collaboration with Duke Assistant Professor Deondra Rose, the Running Start training will give Duke women tools to nurture their leadership abilities and achieve greater civic and political influence both on campus (student government) and post-graduation (local, state, and federal positions). Led by Running Start’s founder Susannah Wellford, the interactive workshop will feature insights from Union County Board of Education member Leslie Boyd and Duke Student Government President Tara Bansal.
A two-year-old center, POLIS seeks to promote civic engagement while amplifying underrepresented voices. Women are severely underrepresented nationally (comprising less than 20% of Congress), as well as in the North Carolina State Legislature (below the national average). Within Duke’s student government, women comprise 45% of the executive board, 43% of the Senate, and 33% of the cabinet. This training is one of many programs in which Duke—through POLIS and other nonpartisan centers—seeks to empower its students.