Hello!

Written by: Drake Turner on Jun 17, 2009 11:43 AM EDT

Hi everyone! My name is Drake, and I'm interning here at DFA in Burlington for the summer. I'm approaching my senior year at Queen's University, a school in Kingston, Ontario in Canada where I'm majoring in political science and minoring in history.

I've loved politics for pretty much as long as I can remember, and I can't think of a better time to be in the political scene than right now. Like a number of you, the past eight years have been largely politically heartbreaking for me, and the 2008 campaign has reenergized me in a way that I was beginning to think was impossible. The candidacy of Barack Obama and the changes in Washington recently have made me so hopeful for the future, and I am committed to doing everything I can to make sure these changes continue in ways I can be proud of.

I can remember very clearly my experience on election night. The politics department on campus organized a viewing party at one of the local bars, and it was absolutely packed. I was amazed at the level of attention Canadians paid to the election, and when Obama won, people were incredibly emotional and clearly invested in the outcome. Though we aren't always aware, the entire world was affected by the election, without any of them having a say in its results. It was so heartwarming to see the international community, previously very disenchanted and skeptical about US politics to suddenly be as hopeful and excited as I was, and it is a feeling I won't soon forget.

As American citizens, we are afforded rights and freedoms that many in the world do not enjoy, and current events reinforce this reality every day. I think it is absolutely crucial not only to be informed politically, but to be active as well. In a nutshell, that's why I've decided to do more than just sit in a lecture hall and take notes about politics, but to actually make moves to get involved at the grassroots level as well. I hope to make a career out of politics at the most passionate and honest level, and hope that this is an experience that can help me to achieve this goal. I can't wait to make it happen!

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