Candidate Statement: Whitney Russell

Name: ___Whitney Russell______________________________

Class: ____2007_____________________________

Phone: ___347 881 6503______________________________


Email: ___war2102______________________________


Position(s) Desired: ___VP Membership__________________


Statement of Interest (1-2 pages):
Please address the following two questions in your statement:
1. Why are you interested in serving on the ACS Board?
2. As a board member, what ideas for programming would you like to implement next year?


I would like to be a part of the ACS board because I think the work and objectives matter a great deal, and it’s wonderful to be involved with a group that energizes students to create the changes they want to see in the world. The people are consistently dynamic and interesting, and I want to give back and help organize it so that it is accessible to even more people than it has been this year.
I think that the ideas for next year are fascinating: the Constitution in the 21st Century, the ACS moot court, the reading group, all provide good opportunities to come together and discuss. The largest challenge that I see facing ACS membership is that people either don’t know that ACS exists or don’t know what it is, and as VP membership, I would address that by making ACS more visible in the first semester of the 1L year. As 1Ls enter the law school and are searching for groups with which to identify, ACS should be a clear option. Many of the entering students are ideologically aligned with ACS values and they are searching for ways to become invested in the school. The goal is to bring awareness to ACS so that people who are interested can seek it out.
To that end, as VP membership, I would push to have mixers in the first semester, perhaps in conjunction with or following the PILF and CPIL events. The journal article discussion (which only happened once this fall, I think) is also a great way to draw in individuals who are interested by providing an easy-access, issues-focused discussion. I suggest organizing several meetings a semester of the article discussion group, so that people who enjoyed it could bring friends to later sessions. Tabling early on (for some contrived reason – a bake sale, perhaps) could also help bring added visibility to the group.
Of course, the real strength of ACS lies in its membership, which is what ultimately drew me in. I would like to help provide other students with such an opportunity. I would love to be VP membership. Thank you for your perseverance in reading this far; now please go vote.