Catherine Kozak, a senior in the School of International Service and president of the Roosevelt Institution at AU, spoke about the incongruencies of students' voices and the direction of activist and progressive policy at a conference Saturday.
Student opinions are largely ignored in the legislative process, and the Roosevelt Institution hopes to change that, Kozak said.
"What about what we want as students?" she said.
The Roosevelt Institution is a national student think tank that seeks to unite students as one voice to create change in American legislature, according to Daniel Maree, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and a co-founder of the AU chapter. The event gave students the opportunity to see what the mission and purpose of the group is through various speakers.
Kozak and Madison Iannone, a freshman in the SIS, also co-founded and serve as leaders of the chapter with Maree.
Maree acted as master of ceremonies for the event and talked to the attendees about how they can be a powerful force in initiating policy.
"What unifies us is paradoxically our diversity," Maree said.
Professor Patrick Thaddeus Jackson of SIS offered his advice to students by encouraging young activists to become social scientists by evaluating what actions will be successful, rather than gathering data to support pre-existing beliefs.
Jackson said he is skeptical of think tanks but holds great hopes for the student generation in digressing from the way other organizations have carried out their research.
Jack Soto, director for the Special Center for Native Communities, spoke about the Native American community and how changes could be brought about with organizations such as the Roosevelt Institution to help Native Americans gain more strength in policymaking.
"We feel that academia needs to hear our voice," he said.
Professor Sarah Stiles, director of the SPA Leadership Program, encouraged students to be energetic and optimistic about the mission of the organization.
"Don't be compromised. Keep that enthusiasm, keep that energy," Stiles said. "Go ahead, be an idealist."
Peter Beinart, editor in chief of The New Republic, encouraged students to make sure actual ideas behind idealism are sound and that students know the history and background before they offer suggestions for the future.
Some students who attended the conference left with a new energy and motivation for change, while others wanted to know more.
David Grossman, a freshman in SPA, said he thought the conference was interesting.
"Students are coming up with great ideas, and these actions can really make a difference," he said. "I think this is all feasible."
The Roosevelt Institution will hold a general meeting soon to gauge student interest, according to Maree.
