From the president
Barclay Zislin, a junior at Tulane University, is a leader on campus focusing on civic engagement. In the last two years, he distinguished himself as a Civic Engagement fellow with the campus-wide coalition to support initiatives on campus aimed at dialogue, increased voting, and access to resources. Being in a leadership position with BridgeUSA and the Tulane Undergraduate Assembly, Barclay continues to engage Tulane's students in conversations across differences and in building sustainable infrastructure to support these efforts.
Personal Statement
While most often advocacy is characterized by politicians, researchers, and diplomats, I have found that advocacy first starts at the individual level. Through working on campaigns, volunteering with local community groups, and my experiences working with NGOs on the Hill, I learned that change starts from the ground up. I have worked tirelessly to help de-mystify the political process to promote civic engagement within my community. While at Tulane University, this drive has materialized in my concrete efforts to promote engagement. Whether through disseminating a campus-wide newsletter focused on political participation or by expanding our voting network by utilizing our bus routes, I hope to inspire at least one person to vote, volunteer, or simply talk amongst peers. In addition to my work in civic engagement, I have promoted political participation by hosting various discussions and events focused on making contentious issues more approachable. In turn, I aim to encourage a robust civic society on my campus and beyond that is open to any and every individual regardless of background, field of study, or career.