Alana Glaubiger

Alana Glaubiger is president of the Political Science Club at Hofstra, Social Action Chair for Hofstra Hillel and a member of Hofstra's Model United Nations and Hofstra for Obama. She was secretary of Hofstra's HelpDarfurNow and worked as a volunteer for President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. A sophomore from Little Neck, Queens, she will participate in The Obama Presidency: The First 100 Days seminar in Washington, D.C. run by The Washington Center from May 17-24, 2009, which will give students the opportunity to study, hear, and question members of Congress, the media, party activists and advocacy representatives on the state of the 44th presidency.

Have you always been active in political causes?

Yes. I gave a lecture on the Darfur genocide for a class at Brooklyn Tech when I was in high school and I was part of the Junior Congress of America. I'm told I take after my great-grandfather. He was very interested in politics. Wherever he would go he would talk to people about politics and why they should be involved and he would talk to people about labor unions.

What was it like being a volunteer for the Obama presidential campaign?

I went to Pennsylvania and I canvassed on Penn State's territory. For the past two presidential elections my district was always red, but this year after we canvassed and knocked on more than 20,000 doors, it went blue for Obama.

What was your role as a volunteer for the presidential debate at Hofstra?

I was part of the Obama motorcade. I would drive the congressmen and senators and other people who supported Obama from the Marriott Hotel where they were staying to Hofstra.

Did you have a good experience working as an intern for the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. last summer?

That was my first taste of D.C. and how things work and it was really cool. In the spring semester I'd taken American Politics and how a bill becomes law and what the process is that it goes through.

My job at the FCC was to analyze bills that became laws and how they became laws. I had to compile them, get the records, hearing reports on that bill and compile it with the law it corresponded to.

What are your expectations for The First 100 Days seminar?

I've been involved with the presidential campaign starting with the primaries...It just seems like a really great opportunity to get other opinions both from students and professionals on how he's doing and what it means for America.

Why did you choose Hofstra?

I actually had heard about the presidential debate and the chance that it might be here and I definitely wanted be involved with that.

What kind of career interests you?

Law school afterwards. I hope to do a Fulbright (fellowship) in between. I definitely want to do something that will help the community. I'm just not sure what yet.