Name: Padraigin O’Flynn.
Age: 17.
Major: Political science and economics
Her Campus: So, you were recently involved in the Hillary Clinton campaign, how did you get involved?
Padraigin O’Flynn: I heard that the campaign was looking for volunteers to register voters, so I decided to help out one day. I enjoyed it so much that I continued to increase my involvement over the course of the campaign.
HC: What was your favorite memory from the campaign?
PO: My favorite memories are the simple things, like just sitting in the office and getting distracted while phonebanking because Zach started singing or we all just cracked up at someone’s joke. It was those little things that turned us from a group of volunteers into a family.
HC: What do you think the next step is for those who were Hillary supporters?
PO: I think that the most vital step is for us to stand up and speak out against injustice wherever we see it. It is also important that we take what we’ve learned from the Hillary campaign and apply it to helping local candidates, in order to gain strength from the ground up.
HC: What got you interested in politics?
PO: I have always enjoyed keeping up with politics, but did not think of it seriously as a career until I took government and economics classes during my senior year of high school. I developed such a passion for both of those subjects in that one semester, and now I can’t imagine studying anything else.
HC: What is your dream job?
PO: My dream job is working at a D.C. think tank, researching the economic impact of various policy decisions as well as sustainable development.
HC: What is your next step?
PO: My next step this year is to plan my senior thesis paper and finalize my study abroad plans for next year. Once I graduate from Kent State, my next step is to start a Master’s and/or Ph.D. program in economics.
HC: What do you recommend for those interested in politics?
PO: Get involved. Even though it might seem scary, or it might push you out of your comfort zone, but you will learn so much. Always keep up on the news and current events, and have as many discussions as you possibly can with people of various viewpoints.
Be sure to follow Padraigin on social media!
Instagram: @padra.the.genie
Twitter: @eireanngobragh1