Elon University alumnus Austin Moore ’22 returned to campus on Oct. 1 as part of a speaker series titled “Alumni Voices: Conversations with Political Officials About the 2024 Election.”
This speaker series was organized by political science professor Jill Auditori and journalism professor Israel Balderas to inform students about the upcoming 2024 election.
“What we are pitching is that we want to take alumni who will be active in the 2024 election,” Balderas told Elon News Network. “I don’t want to talk about the election, but I want to keep people informed.”
Moore, the first speaker in the series, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and international and global studies. She currently works as a deputy field director for Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s campaign and decided to return as a resource for current students.
“Politics is a game of who’s who, and I’m really passionate about getting the word out that it doesn’t have to be that way, and that’s not always the case,” Moore said of Elon. told the news network. “Now that I am working in the political world, I want to be a source of strength for young people who are coming into the industry.”
During the event, Moore spoke about his political journey and how much he has learned since being hired and starting campaigning during his senior year of college.
“I remember being in the Oaks and thinking, ‘What have I gotten myself into?'” Moore said. “I had no experience in campaigning. I didn’t know anything. It was just a trial by fire.”
Moore said the biggest help when she first got involved in politics was exposing herself to local representatives.
“I just reached out to my state representative,” Moore said. “I emailed her and she was like, ‘Hello, is there any chance?’ I’m a student,” and it worked. That internship really taught me that a lot of the things you think politicians do are actually done behind the scenes by people like me. ”
Following Moore’s chronicle of his political journey, Auditori and Balderas took questions at the beginning of the event. Balderas asked Moore how she stays confident and how she feels Elon has prepared her.
“It’s really about being who you are, being confident, and being confident,” Moore said. “There’s value in learning and going to new places. Even if I go somewhere else and regress a little bit, people have been doing this forever and they have their way. I think it taught me that there is.”
Moore was asked again the next day, Nov. 6, about what he would do about the election results.
“I’ve decided on my primary media sources right now and I’m trying to diversify them, but my notifications will only be for those breaking news stories,” Moore said. “I can’t take everything on myself, because I used to try too. But I have to stay conscious of everything. I’m trying to find a balance now. Personal and professional. It’s often blurred, and we’re not trying to play politics 24/7, so there’s kind of a line.”
Sophomore Adriana Stapleton said she was inspired by hearing about Moore’s political career.
“I’m a political science major, so that’s what I’m interested in,” Stapleton said. “Just being able to hear her story and get her opinion on the work she’s done has definitely helped me figure out what I want to do.”
Stapelton said she was also happy to hear from alumni who not only had similar interests but also looked like her.
“I think in some ways I feel more connected,” Stapelton said. “We’ve both been to Elon and we’ve both gone through the same things. It’s also especially important that there was a Black woman who went to Elon. It’s important to me that someone I look up to and that I It’s like giving me someone to aspire to and guide me through life.”
The next alumni speaker will be María Ramírez Uribe ’20, who will discuss misinformation and disinformation on October 22, at a time and location to be determined.
