Politics, Ensuring That the Critical School of Government and Public Service Behind-The-Scenes Work Gets Done at Texas A&M University

Young alumni ﬁ ll leadership the next generation roles across the political spectrum By Dana Fischetti

The North Carolina state director for the Kerry-Edwards media relations. Both trips were eye-open- ing, she said, particularly with the increased presidential campaign. The fi nance director for the security and awareness of the post-9/11 era. Burr for Senate campaign. The president of the Guilford “There’s nothing that will compare to standing on that army base in Seoul with a room County Young Democrats. A Bush administration full of American troops to see how tenuous peace really is,” she said. “I had tears in my political appointee in the Social Security Administration. eyes when the vice president came out and A former staff member of U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. And an the national anthem was played. There is something magical about that, something account manager with a fi rm that oversees contributions that reminds us how lucky we are to live in the USA.” to the Bush-Cheney campaign. While Arnott looks forward to volunteering for future state trips, she is keeping busy with her full-time position as director of Cheri Arnott poses at the entrance of the Combined Federal Campaign in the Air Force II as she prepares to travel Social Security Administration (SSA) in with Vice President Dick Cheney. Baltimore, Md. The combined campaign is similar to the United Way campaign, raising funds for charitable organizations from gov- While this group of professionals and ernment employees. Last year, Arnott raised volunteers works in a wide variety of just under $1.3 million from about 14,000 political positions and splits their SSA employees. She is also president of the allegiance between the two major Baltimore/DC UNCW Alumni Chapter. parties, they do have several things in common. All of them are up-and-com- After graduating from UNCW, Arnott earned her Master of Public Service and ing leaders in national, state and local Administration degree at the George Bush politics, ensuring that the critical School of Government and Public Service behind-the-scenes work gets done at Texas A&M University. While there, she within their campaign or offi ce. And had several opportunities to meet with they were all prepared to take on Bush family members and work with then- these leadership roles through their Gov. George W. Bush. In 1999, she moved academic and extracurricular experi- to Austin to work as a volunteer on Bush’s ences at UNCW. While they may call fi rst presidential campaign and was hired as themselves Republicans or Democrats Cheri Arnott ’97 a full-time staff member a week later. and sometimes be bitter opponents in Volunteer with Vice President Dick “Working on a campaign is probably the heated campaigns, at the end of the day Cheney’s Offi ce most stressful job I can imagine,” she said, they’re all Seahawks. A former staffer for the Bush-Cheney “because everything you do is live and on presidential campaign in 2000 and a Bush the news immediately. But it’s also incredibly And by the way, the oldest one was born administration political appointee, Cheri rewarding. It’s the thrill of winning, the thrill during the Ford administration, while Arnott sometimes travels with the vice of seeing someone who you believe will the three youngest entered the world president as a volunteer on offi cial visits. truly change the world in a position to do with Ronald Reagan as president. One This year, she visited Aviano Air Base in that and knowing you had a part in it. You can only imagine the great things they’ll Pordenone, Italy, and Seoul, South Korea, really have to have a personal investment in do when they hit their third decade. assisting with special event planning and your candidate to make it worthwhile.”

12 UNCW Magazine Fall • Winter 2004 Shane Fernando ’00 Former Staff Member for Sen. Jesse Helms After graduating from UNCW, Shane When Helms retired from the Senate at Fernando was planning to go to China to the end of 2002, Fernando decided to take teach through the Sister Cities Program some time off to pursue another of his connection between Wilmington and interests, buying and refurbishing a historic Dandong. The day after graduation, just home in Washington. He has since com- as he was about to accept the teaching pleted that project and is currently seeking position, Fernando received a call from U.S. a position with the U.S. Department of Sen. Jesse Helms that changed his course. State and exploring graduate school opportunities. He hopes his next career move will keep him in Washington.

Jason Coley represented North Carolina at the 2004 “When I was about eight or nine,” he said, “we went on a family vacation to D.C., and Democratic National Convention in Boston. I remember tugging on my mom’s and dad’s sleeves to tell them that I wanted to live Jason Coley ’00 here someday. I fell in love with the city, President, Guilford County Young Democrats and I still feel the same way.” Jason Coley is on a mission. As president of the Young Democrats of Guilford County, he wants to encourage more young people to get involved in the political process and bring their youthful energy to campaigns. “There’s a lot of opportunity to encourage young voters to get involved,” Coley said. “On many college campuses, the voter turn- Shane Fernando is pictured with former U.S. Sen. out is less than 10 percent. It’s hard to find Jesse Helms, with whom he interned while a student people that young who want to be active in at UNCW. politics, but I’ve started to see a change in that over the past year. More young people Instead of going to China, he went to are showing an interest in politics, and Washington, D.C., to work in a position we emphasize to them that they can really Helms offered him with the office of the make a difference.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later worked as a member of Helms’ Senate Coley makes his living as a research and office staff. During high school and while at Morgan Jackson is pictured with Democratic vice development lab technician for Syngenta UNCW, Fernando had interned for Helms presidential candidate John Edwards. Crop Protection in Greensboro, but invests as well as for U.S. Sen. Lauch Faircloth, and a large part of his time off the clock working those internship experiences led to the full- for the Democratic Party. This has been true Morgan Jackson ’96 time staff opportunity. since he was eight years old, when he began N.C. State Director helping to recruit voters with his father, As a communication studies major and Kerry-Edwards Campaign who was on the executive board of the AFL- active member of student government, Morgan Jackson worked for U.S. Sen. CIO and chair of the Guilford County Dem- Fernando said the experiences he had at John Edwards for the past three-and-a- ocratic Party. While at UNCW, he worked UNCW helped prepare him for the challenge half years, before accepting a job in July with the New Hanover County party office of working on Capitol Hill and for any future as state director for the Kerry-Edwards on the “Get Out the Vote” campaign. career opportunities he may pursue. presidential campaign. He had worked in In addition to serving as president of the the senator’s office since 2001 and later “Working with the Student Government Young Democrats, he traveled to Boston became national deputy political director for Association and with the administration as a North Carolina delegate to the 2004 the John Edwards for President campaign, at UNCW helped me hone my leadership Democratic National Convention. overseeing several states in the Southeast. skills and taught me a lot about the political For both positions he was based in Raleigh. “There was so much energy there,” he said system, how our government works and of his convention experience. “It was like how all of that ties into a university setting,” “I was one of the senator’s outreach aides,” being at a sporting event that is coming he said. “But I also knew I’d want to work he explained. “My job was to keep in down to the final seconds and seeing the in other areas besides politics, and the touch with constituents and keep my winning shot or the winning field goal. And communication studies program is struc- eyes and ears to the ground so that Senator the North Carolina delegation was fortunate tured so that you can tailor it to the type of Edwards would be aware of changing needs to be up front where we could see and be a education you want to receive. It can open in North Carolina. That’s what I liked best part of everything. It really energized us to so many doors because success in many about my job – being in the district and go back home and hit the ground running fields comes down to whether or not you talking face-to-face with the people the on the campaign.” can effectively communicate.” elected office represents.”

Fall • Winter 2004 UNCW Magazine 13 proﬁles

CHERI ARNOTT ’97 Age 29 Jackson also had that opportunity earlier in his career, when he interned with U.S. UNCW Degree: B.A. in political science Rep. Charlie Rose during his senior year at Current Position: Director of Combined UNCW, then served as a congressional aide Federal Campaign, Social Security to both U.S. representatives Mel Watt and Administration in Baltimore, Md. Bill Hefner in their N.C. offices. During the Volunteer: Travels with Vice President Dick 2000 election cycle, he worked as political Cheney on official state visits, president of director of the North Carolina Democratic Baltimore/D.C. UNCW Alumni Chapter Party. He credits UNCW and the Political Science Department with helping him get Amanda Kornegay is pictured with, from left, U. S. JASON COLEY ’00 his start in politics. Rep. Richard Burr; Brandon Macsata ’96, owner of Age 26 “I always thought I wanted to work in poli- Macsata & Associates, a consulting and lobbying UNCW Degree: B.S. in business information tics but when I got into the political science firm; and Vice President Dick Cheney. systems classes and began experiencing what politics was really like it helped me figure out what Current Position: Research and development I wanted to do with my life,” he said. “The lab technician for Syngenta Crop pletely taken up by that event. Other days faculty puts every effort into helping stu- Protection in Greensboro you have no idea what may come up that dents find the career path that is right for suddenly takes priority over everything else.” Volunteer: President of Young Democrats of them. And one of the best things was that I Guilford County and delegate to 2004 got the job with Congressman Hefner due Before joining the Burr campaign earlier Democratic National Convention in large part to my internship with Charlie this year, Kornegay worked for six years in Rose and the help I received from UNCW.” Washington, D.C., spending the first year SHANE FERNANDO ’00 and a half working as an aide to U.S. Sen. In late August, Jackson returned to the Age 24 Lauch Faircloth and the following four and UNCW campus with Edwards, who made a half running the National Association of UNCW Degree: B.A. in communication studies a campaign speech at Kenan Auditorium. Broadcasters’ political action committee. Current Position: Took time off to renovate a In Jackson’s current role, he is responsible She also interned for Faircloth while at historic home in Washington, D.C.; for all aspects of the campaign in North UNCW and was active in the Student currently seeking a position with the U.S. Carolina, including helping define the Government Association. Department of State and exploring candidate’s messages, planning special graduate school opportunities events, managing a team of volunteers She said she feels fortunate to have had so making voter contacts across the state and many different professional opportunities MORGAN JACKSON ’96 developing and executing a media plan. at such a young age but that it requires a Age 30 major commitment. “It’s a little bit of everything,” he said. UNCW Degree: B.A. in political science “Capitol Hill is run by 22- to 30-year-olds,” Current Position: North Carolina state director Amanda Kornegay ’97 she said. “Young staff have the time to put for the Kerry-Edwards presidential Finance Director in and are so eager to be out of college and campaign, based in Raleigh Burr for Senate Campaign to learn. It’s new and exciting but it’s also difficult and demanding work. Candidates Amanda Kornegay was instrumental in AMANDA KORNEGAY ’97 and members of Congress truly appreciate organizing a visit to UNCW by First Lady Age 29 what their staffs do because they know Laura Bush in July as a campaign fundraiser what hard work it is.” UNCW Degree: B.A. in political science for U.S. Rep. Richard Burr, candidate for Current Position: Finance director, Richard Burr U.S. Senate. Her main role was to raise Currently based in Winston-Salem, for U.S. Senate campaign, based in campaign funds across the state but, as with Kornegay’s goal is to move back to Winston-Salem most jobs on small campaign staffs, her role Wilmington and buy a house, but she is was broadly defined and changed every day. unable to think about any short-term goals until after the election. KATE RUSSELL ’02 That variety is one of the things she loves Age 24 about working in politics. “At this point, there is no future beyond UNCW Degree: B.A. in communication studies Election Day,” she said. “Like most cam- “It’s the opportunity to always do different paign staffers, my hope is that this opportu- Current Position: Account representative, things,” she said. “In some ways, it’s like nity will turn out well and will lead to the Campaign Mail and Data, Inc., in Falls having a different job every day. There are next one.” Church, Va., which manages contributions days you can plan because you have an to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign event going on, like organizing the visit by and to the Republican National Committee the First Lady. That week my life was com-

14 UNCW Magazine Fall • Winter 2004 Kate Russell ’02 Account Representative Campaign Mail and Data Inc. When Kate Russell was a student at UNCW, a person I had known when I was younger donor records and ensures compliance with she took advantage of the opportunities she and who would come over to my father’s campaign finance laws before contributions had to get involved and gain experience house with pizza,” she said. “Also during are deposited. for her career. She was the youngest-ever the campaign Sen. Brownback was always Russell said she prefers to provide support female student body president and a member there but most of the time on Capitol Hill to the Republican Party in this way rather of the first female president and vice presi- he was in meetings, drafting legislation or than being directly involved in a campaign. dent team. She studied abroad in England working on committees. The Senate floor is as part of the International Studies program. empty a lot of the time because there are so “A campaign is really demanding,” she said. many meetings.” “Everything is all the time, real time, need it now. That was hard for my father and for After graduation, Russell worked for the our family. I could’ve applied to work for Republican National Committee (RNC) in the Bush-Cheney campaign after I worked Washington during the 2002 campaign, at the RNC, but I didn’t want to choose and then took a position with Campaign that. I wanted to find a way to work in poli- Mail and Data Inc. in Falls Church, Va., tics but not wonder if I would have a which oversees private contributions to job after Nov. 2.” the Bush-Cheney campaign and to the RNC. The firm checks the accuracy of Dana Fischetti is a marketing and communications consultant for UNCW’s professional schools. Political science at UNCW Curriculum emphasizes classical theory, real-world experience

Political science is a broad, diverse field, and coaches them on how to dress and Kate Russell was with President and Mrs. George W. and students come to it with many different behave in their internship settings. Bush at the 2002 Presidential Christmas Party. areas of academic and career interest. Rec- “There’s the theoretical world of politics ognizing this, the UNCW Political Science and then there’s the real rough-and-tumble Department and its degree programs are world,” said Barth. “Most students have And she helped lobby for the bond issue in structured to give students a core under- never been a part of that real world, and 2000 to provide funding for the new educa- standing of classic political theory as well as there’s no substitute for actually living it tion building, among others. the flexibility to apply that theory to their and experiencing it. We constantly remind own specific interest areas. “It was incredible to be involved in that our students that politics is all about net- process,” she said. “I was able to attend “Some of our students are interested in working, and if they do a good job and the groundbreaking for the new building, legislative politics, some have a stronger make an impression on the right people it which made it real. It was rewarding to see interest in state than national politics and can go a long way.” that the university that had the smallest some are preparing for law school,” said In the classroom, the focus is on providing square footage per student in the UNC department chair Tom Barth. “We help our a complete overview of American domestic system was finally going to get more class- students determine a career direction based politics, including the theories that Ameri- room space.” on their interests and their personality can political principles are built on, as well types. Working in an agency in the federal Russell grew up in Kansas and moved to as international political issues and how government is a whole different world than Greensboro with her family just before they affect domestic policy decisions. working on a campaign or in a legislative her senior year of high school. When she Classes discuss viewpoints from across the office. Some people are more comfortable was 16, her father worked as campaign political spectrum on a wide variety of in one world than the other.” treasurer for U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a topics, and students are encouraged to Kansas Republican, and Russell interned To assist students in developing the skills form their own political identities and for Brownback while a student at UNCW. they need to be successful after graduation, value systems. She found the atmosphere in Brownback’s the curriculum heavily emphasizes writing, “Most students who come here are a Senate office very different from that of the the ability to present persuasively, basic product of their parents’ views, whether campaign in Kansas. analytical skills and critical thinking. The conservative or liberal,” Barth said, “and department also provides students with “It was strange because the chief of staff, part of their education is exposure to other practical experience through internships this person who was in a very high- points of view and learning to value the ranking position in the Senate office, was diversity that is part of our political system.”

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