ENACT's Expanded Mentorship
Student-to-Student Support: The ENACT Student Delegates
January, 2022
How do I figure out what legislation to support?” “What’s the hardest thing about meeting with a legislator?” “How did you use this experience to help you find a job?” Students in some of the 16 ENACT classes being taught around the United States this Spring have asked these questions and more of ENACT Student Delegates Elaina Pevide ’20 and Alison Cantor ’22 during their Zoom-based class visits. “I’ve had the opportunity to join Elaina and Alison for many of these visits,” says ENACT Assistant Director David Weinstein. “Students are eager to hear how they managed the intimidating experience of meeting with policymakers and legislative aides. Alison and Elaina are fielding thoughtful questions about this process and responding with insightful, practical advice.”
Elaina Pevide is serving her second year as an ENACT student delegate, while working as Special Projects and Media Coordinator for the mayor of the City of Fall River, Massachusetts. Alison Cantor is a Brandeis senior majoring in sociology and minoring in social justice and social policy. Both draw on their experiences in the Brandeis ENACT course, “Advocacy for Policy Change” (LGLS 161b), taught by ENACT’s Academic Program Director and Ethics Center Director Melissa Stimell.
Pevide and Cantor are also helping ENACT students and faculty fellows tap into ENACT’s national network of people, resources and events. This includes enactnetwork.org, designed and supported by Brandeis computer science students under the guidance of Prof. Tim Hickey; guest speakers hosted by ENACT classes the country; and a LinkedIn group open to students and alumni of ENACT courses.
Randolph-Macon College ENACT students Cade Jones, Sam Dantzler and Owen Arruza at the Virginia State Capitol in January with Rhena Hicks, Legislative Aide for Virginia State Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler. (Also pictured: Thomas Jefferson.)
This year, Pevide and Cantor have organized an ENACT Networking Night during which current students can speak with alumni studying and working in a range of fields, and they have recruited a robust cohort of ENACT Student Ambassadors, building on a small program piloted last year. The Student Ambassadors each represent their ENACT class and campus, and are working alongside Pevide and Cantor to explore new ways of strengthening ties between ENACT classes. Learn more about the ENACT Student Delegates and Ambassadors.