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Samantha Giffen
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The Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics (Berry IOP) is kicking off their 2024 Running for Office Workshop Series! This semester-long program will empower and equip undergraduate and graduate students with the skills and knowledge needed to run for office or to run a successful election campaign. This in-person program includes a total of four monthly workshops facilitated by political consultants from The Davis System, LLC who have experience working with local, statewide, and national political and advocacy campaigns. Three of the consultants from The Davis System, LLC are Salem State University graduates including: Errin Davis, Chief Operations Officer, who graduated in 2018 with a degree in Business Administration as a Katzman’s Entrepreneurship Scholar; Richie Cadet, Associate Partner, who graduated in 2019 with a dual degree in Political Science & Criminal Justice; and Ajah Joseph, Associate Partner, who graduated in 2018 with a degree in Accounting.
After a rigorous application process, we accepted a cohort of 8 students to enroll in the workshop series. We are excited to introduce the following participants:
Amya Enlow ‘25 (she/her) is an undergraduate Political Science major with a concentration in American Government Law and Policy and minors in Legal Studies and Media & Communications. Outside of her classes, Amya is Treasurer for the Student Government Association, an Orientation Leader, and a Residence Life Desk Receptionist. Amya shared, “I am excited to participate in this program because it is a great opportunity to be able to network and hone skills associated with running for office.”
Philip Fishman ‘27 (he/him) is an undergraduate History major with a minor in Public Policy. Philip already has some experience with campaigning including assisting on a campaign for State Representative and working with MassPIRG on their “Protect Our Oceans" and “Stop Hunger and Homelessness” campaigns. Philip is excited to participate in this program because “understanding the nuances and fundamentals of our electoral system, and understanding how to get the people on your side, is the first step on the road to positive change.”
Lillyana Fife ‘26 (she/they) is an undergraduate double majoring in Political Science and History with a minor in Philosophy. Outside of classes, Lillyana is the philanthropy chairwomen of the Theta Phi Alpha sorority where they organize philanthropy events, such as clothing and food drives, volunteer work, and more to help better the Salem State community. Lillyana shared, “I am excited to hear about the experience and advice those who are currently in the field are willing to share. I can’t wait to absorb all the information I can. Learning more about running campaigns and gaining this experience is a fantastic opportunity.”
Koda Hoang ‘24 (they/them) is an undergraduate Criminal Justice major in the 4+1 program with a minor in Legal Studies. Koda was a participant in the Berry IOP’s first annual Alternative Spring Break to the Massachusetts State House in 2023. They also recently served as a Policy Intern for State Representative Steve Ultrino. Koda shared, “I am excited to participate in this program to make full use of the opportunities and experiences offered by the university.”
Sharon Janus ‘23 (she/her) Sharon recently graduated with her Bachelor of Social Work. Sharon was a participant in the Berry IOP’s first annual Alternative Spring Break to the Massachusetts State House in 2023. She has worked for over 30 years at the Peabody Institute Library overseeing many community resources and programs. She also has experience volunteering for many local organizations including Centerboard and the Haven Project. Sharon shared, “I am excited for this workshop series to prepare me and give me the confidence to run for an office position in my town.”
Teka Lumumba ‘24 (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in Healthcare Studies with minors in Psychology and Biology. Teka plans to use the skills gained from this program to bring back to Antigua & Barbuda, the country where she was born, so she can assist community members who might want to run for political office. Teka shared, “I have loved discussing politics from the time I was 12 years old, and this is a great opportunity to learn the basics so I can become a campaign manager in the future.”
Sean Messinger ‘24 (he/him) is an undergraduate Political Science major with a minor in History. Outside of Salem State, Sean works as a sales associate at Staples. Sean shared his excitement for the Running for Office Workshop series by saying “I am excited to take part in this program because I believe that it will help me grow as a person and develop skills that I can use throughout my career.”
Brian Wellman ‘27 (he/him) is an undergraduate Political Science major with a minor in Business Administration. Brian currently serves as the Student Trustee for Salem State’s Board of Trustees and as President of the Salem State Civic Society. Brian shared his excitement to participate in the Running for Office Workshop Series by saying “I am excited to learn from experts about how to organize and operate an election campaign.”
The Berry IOP is excited to watch these students grow in their experience and knowledge throughout this semester program. We are grateful to Anthony Davis, Jr., Errin Davis ‘18, Thanh Nguyen, Richie Cadet ‘19, and Ajah Joseph ‘18, the political consultants from The Davis System, LLC, for facilitating these workshops to prepare Salem State students to run for office or work on an election campaign.
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Learn more about the Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics at Salem State University.