The Public Policy Club is currently trying to get invited to an upcoming meeting that will include local members of Congress speaking about their stances on real world issues, according to President and sophomore Dylan Safai.
This is the public policy club’s first serious year and there are two major events that have already been planned out for this school year. The club is actively pursuing the opportunity to see a live meeting between local congressmen. In addition, the club is asking the school administration if they can visit the U.S. Capitol at the end of the school year. Safai said, “The main goal of the club is to facilitate non-partisan discussion related to helping and solving real world issues.”
The Public Policy Club discusses and takes stances on political issues that are actually happening in the real world. Examples of these issues include, but are not limited to presidential debates, gun control, abortion and marijuana legalization. According to the Kellogg School of Management, “The mission of the Public Policy Club is to foster greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the myriad ways in which business and public policy interact, educate students about job opportunities and support those interested in pursuing careers in both the public and private sector, and to create a strong, global network of policy leaders and organizations to serve as professional entry points for MBAs.”
One reason that might interest students into specifically joining this school’s club are the doughnuts that are occasionally brought to meetings, which are quickly gobbled up by the 60+ members. Furthermore, the club makes its members more accepting of other viewpoints because members are shown both sides of an issue and allowed to decide which side they agree with by themselves.
Current members of the club encourage the school’s students to join because they will find a variety of issues and see multiple points of view that they may not have seen before, while also being exposed to issues involving different races and ethnicities. In addition, being a member of this club will look good on college resumes since members are politically active and know more about the political process, which is helpful in any major that falls under the humanities umbrella.
The club meets every other Thursday during lunch in room 152 and had its first meeting on Oct. 3, so newcomers are still welcome and can easily become acquainted with the club’s schedule, while also improving on the skills that are taught throughout the year. One improvement this club will have is making each member more aware about current events, specifically relating to politics.
Parth Mishra, a new member, said that he joined the club because he thought, “The club would be a fun thing to do,” and has already become interested with the next issue the club will be discussing, which is the legality and morality of the death penalty.