ESU Student, One of Forty, Selected to Attend the Democratic National Committee’s Campaign Training Institute

Steven Natiello, a graduate student majoring in political science at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) will be one of 40 students nationwide that will attend a training and mentorship program for aspiring political activists and public servants sponsored by the Democratic National Committee this month. Natiello, a resident of Marshalls Creek, Pa., will attend the Hope Institute in Washington D.C., to discuss how to form a strategy to enter a political career. The Institute will also cover issues involved in running a campaign such as different political jobs, communication, polling, social media, scheduling and fundraising.  Party officials and those involved in President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 campaign will be among the presenters.    

Natiello, who graduated from ESU in 2012 with a bachelor of arts in communication studies, applied for the Institute based on his interest in a career in politics.

“I applied to the Hope Institute 2013 because I want to pursue a career in political communications and help the right candidates convey their message to the public in the most honest and understandable way possible,” said Natiello. “The United States government is the best equipped force to enact positive change on a large scale, and it is important that voters truly understand which candidate best reflects their values.”

 “Attending the Hope Institute 2013 will be an invaluable experience for me because I will have firsthand experience learning from some of the most skilled political figures in the world. My goal is to use the knowledge and connections I gain from the Hope Institute to improve my research into the field of political communications and give back to the community as my career continues to unfold.”       

Kimberly S. Adams, Ph.D., an ESU associate professor of political science, says Natiello’s selection as one of the participants in the Hope Institute is a high honor. According to Dr. Adams, the aim of this initiative is to create a class of young, talented staffers who can work their way up in the Democratic Party.

“The campaign training offered to young professionals through party organizations such as the DNC, is second to none,” said Dr. Adams. “The participants will get on the ground training from Washington’s seasoned and highly successful political consultants. Steven’s selection to this program is a cause for celebration and will benefit him immensely as he pursues a career in managing campaigns and elections.”

Adams has first-hand knowledge of the benefit of such programs.

“As a former participant of DNC campaign trainings, I can attest to the quality of the presentations, the networking opportunities and the individual exposure that comes with such participation. The information gleaned from the sessions on polling, fundraising, voter outreach, and messaging helped me to better understand the dynamics of campaign work and to become a more productive and informed campaign staffer, and I hope the same is true for Steven.” 

Natiello is currently writing his thesis on the relationship between social media use and political participation and is completing an internship as the media and web manager for Country Club of the Poconos Municipal Golf Course. During the summer he works in ESU Enrollment Services, archiving and indexing documents. During the academic year he works as a graduate assistant in both the ESU Department of Academic Enrichment and Learning and the Department of Political Science. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. and career in political communications when he graduates in December 2013.

For more information about the political science degree programs at ESU contact Dr. Adams at 570-422-3924 or by email at ksadams@esu.edu, or visit www.esu.edu/pols.

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