It’s Not All About the President: Engaging with Local and State Government
January 30, 2025
On January 30, 2025 the VoteDeis Campus Coalition, in collaboration with the Brandeis Student Union and ENACT: the Abraham Feinberg Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation, welcomed three key figures in Waltham's local politics to campus. The event, titled "It’s Not All About the President: Engaging with Local and State Government," was organized as part of the VoteDeis Campus Coalition’s ongoing efforts to increase voter registration and participation at Brandeis University, and was supported by the Stduent Union and an ENACT Educate and Advocate Grant.
As David Weinstein, Assistant Director of ENACT and VoteDeis Coordinator, explained, after the November election, the VoteDeis coalition asked themselves, "What’s next?" This event provided the ideal answer. The panel discussion emphasized the importance and relevance of local politics, urging attendees to broaden their political engagement beyond just presidential elections.
Brandeis Provost Carol A. Fierke gave opening remarks on behalf of Interim President Arthur Levine. Fierke reflected on her time at Brandeis, from her undergraduate years in the 1980s, to her return as provost in 2021. To Fierke, Brandeis, higher education, and political engagement is currently evolving. As such, it is necessary to have relevant discussions on how we want to define our place in such evolution.
Brandeis students and VoteDeis coalition
members Rani Balakrishna '25 and Juliahna Falciglia-Mattes '28 introduced the guest speakers and moderated the event.
The panel featured Waltham Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, a lifelong Waltham resident and mayor since 2004, with a strong background in law and public service, having served as a Councillor-at-Large, Waltham School Committee member, and city solicitor; State Representative Thomas Stanley, another lifelong Waltham resident, who has representing the 9th Middlesex District since 2001, serves on various commissions related to elder affairs and aging in Massachusetts, and has long been involved in Waltham city governance; and City Councilor Paul Katz, a Brandeis class of 1985 alum who represents Waltham's Ward 7, which in includes the Brandeis University campus, and has a background in marketing and is deeply involved in local culture, especially through his work with the Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham.
Responding to questions from moderators Balakrishna and Falciglia-Mattes the panelists shared insights into their professional journeys and current priorities, including both the challenges and hopeful aspects of their roles. Panelists offered advice for students interested in local and state government, emphasizing the importance of political engagement at all levels.
Following the discussion, a Q&A session allowed students in the audience to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the panelists' experiences.
By the conclusion of the event, various methods and pathways of civic engagement were highlighted, emphasizing that political involvement does not need to begin and end with presidential elections.
Watch video of the discussion here.
Read coverage of the event in The Waltham Times.
