When Rachel McGovern came to UF, she had a lot of ideas about getting involved in her head. She had always been a passionate Democrat, so volunteering for College Democrats of America her freshman year felt natural.
In the beginning, the 21-year-old political science and geography senior went to a few events and socials. Before long, she held an appointed position.
“I just started volunteering,” McGovern said. “It snowballed from there.”
This summer, following the national College Democrats of America’s convention in Washington, D.C., McGovern was elected the National Council Chair on the CDA’s executive board. She’ll hold the position for the academic year.
“It’s exciting,” McGovern said. “I’ve been campaigning since June.”
Aside from serving as the vice president of UF’s CDA and Florida’s College Democrats — and her new national chair position — McGovern is also involved in UF’s Extreme Dance Company.
“When you first come to college, people either tell you to be involved in a bunch of different things or to become a leader in one,” McGovern said. “I didn’t really mean to go the second route, but it really worked out. Now I’m a national officer.”