Students campaign for candidates; relationship in local races goes beyond voter registration
Travis Faber and Michelle Shamaly are used to fighting for voters on CMU’s campus.
They’ve taken it to a larger scale this election season while working for Republican Kevin Cotter’s and Democrat Toni Sessoms’ campaigns for the 99th district state House seat.
Shamaly, vice president of College Democrats, started working as a communications intern and consultant for Sessoms over the summer, while College Republicans first vice chair Travis Faber has served as Cotter’s campaign manager since the end of last school year.
Faber volunteered to work for Cotter after Cotter’s first campaign event and worked his way up the ladder from there. Faber said he jumped in head first after hearing Cotter’s message.
“You have to find someone who strongly believes in what you believe in,” the Battle Creek senior said. “I’ve got a great candidate.”
He describes his job as doing “anything and everything”, and said his main job was to help get Cotter’s message to voters.
Shamaly was in charge of public relations material for Sessoms’ campaign over the summer, including graphic design work. Now she continues to work with the campaign during the final push.
She was involved with President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, but this was her first local work. She said her experience helped both herself and Sessoms.
“I think we both benefitted from each other,” the Clinton Township junior said. “I think what a lot of candidates lack, while they may be strong in policy or law, is communicating with citizens.”
Faber and Shamaly aren’t the only students working for the two campaigns. Shamaly said the College Democrats broadcast any opportunity to get involved to their members and Cotter said about 20 students have been involved with his campaign.
Sessoms said she’s been involved with the College Democrats over the last two years and met Shamaly before her internship. Sessoms was surprised at Shamaly’s willingness to do any job.
“If it needed to be done, she’d do it,” Sessoms said. “I knew she was a worker. I found out she was even more of a worker this summer.”
Faber’s student status didn’t stop Cotter from naming him an important position within the campaign.
“It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision,” Cotter said. “I was really impressed with his interest, his political knowledge and his interest in the campaign.”
Faber said he feels great about his candidate’s chances and his efforts as a whole.
“I think it’s been really effective,” he said. “Kevin Cotter could have gotten elected by himself. People love Kevin Cotter.”
Schoolwork has caused Shamalay to pull back her efforts a bit, but she said she helps whenever she’s needed because she feels it’s necessary.
“It’s your civic duty to be involved somehow,” Shamaly said. “I do it because not everyone’s going to be an activist.”
