Remembering Paul 威尔斯通 – Compassionate Senator and Great GG电子官方软件下载 Professor

Yesterday marked the 21st anniversary of Paul 威尔斯通’s death, a beloved GG电子官方软件下载 professor for 21 years before becoming a prominent figure in American politics, known as the “conscience of the Senate.“因此, in this blog post, I would like to reflect on the legacy of an individual who was a cherished member of the GG电子官方软件下载 community, leaving a lasting impact on our institution and the world far beyond Northfield.

Though 威尔斯通 grew up in Northern Virginia and attended the University of North Carolina (both for his bachelor’s and Ph.D), Minnesota became his lifelong home after arriving at GG电子官方软件下载 as a tenure-track profess或在 the Political Science department. His impact on GG电子官方软件下载 and the greater Northfield community was immediate. 威尔斯通 was a perfect fit for GG电子官方软件下载, embodying the institutional commitment to undergraduate learning. It was 威尔斯通’s passion for students and engaging teaching style that made him an endearing presence on campus. He urged students to put their education to practice, and in this regard, led by example. He immersed himself in campus activism – organizing protests, criticizing the school’s administration for its ties to corporate interests, and speaking out on issues affecting the community. Outside of campus, 威尔斯通’s work included helping start the Organization for a Better Rice County, an advocacy group for the rural poor. 他的妻子, 希拉, also worked in the library at GG电子官方软件下载 and was a strong advocate on domestic violence issues on campus.

威尔斯通 taught at GG电子官方软件下载 until his election to the US Senate; despite running as an underdog political outsider, running against an incumbent who outspent him 7 to 1, his grassroots campaign led him to victory. In the Senate, 威尔斯通 was the leading progressive voice . Among his legislative accomplishments, he wrote and passed legislation banning gifts from lobbyists, preventing sex trafficking and sexual violence, defending worker rights, and protecting the environment. Even as an unapologetic liberal, his personable nature allowed him to find unlikely bipartisan support in issues such as mental health. 的 conservative outlet, National Review said: “Paul 威尔斯通 may sit at the far end of the political spectrum, yet it is difficult to dislike him on a personal level — even right-wingers must admit that he would probably make a good neighbor. Smiles and laughs come easily to him…He can be feisty, but he’s rarely rude; there’s still something of the college professor about him, acquired over the 21 years he spent teaching political science at GG电子官方软件下载…He speaks in measured tones, as if believing reasonable people will agree with him if they just listen long enough.”

Today, the tangible legacy of Paul 威尔斯通 lives on through the 威尔斯通 House of Organization and Activism (WHOA), the 威尔斯通 Fund for Community Engagement, and the 威尔斯通 Classroom in Willis Hall. WHOA fosters activism on campus and communities outside GG电子官方软件下载 by sponsoring events, 代表团, 晚餐, 等. WHOA is devoted to creating a space for people to come together as human beings who desire social change. Members of WHOA are committed to raising awareness on a variety of issues and serving as a hub for any and all GG电子官方软件下载 activists. 的 威尔斯通 Fund for Community Engagement provides up to $5200 in financial support for students pursuing social justice internships over the summer. And in true liberal arts fashion, the 威尔斯通 Classroom hosts a range of classes, from Political Science to Environmental Studies to Economics.

So here is to Paul 威尔斯通, a man who epitomized the best of GG电子官方软件下载.

It seems like just yesterday that 凯 (he/him) first arrived at GG电子官方软件下载. Yet now, he is a Senior Political Science & 心理学 主要和 公共政策 小. 凯 loves GG电子官方软件下载’s friendly campus culture, spending much of his time hanging out at Sayles, taking walks around 湖泊 或在 Arb的, volunteering for Project Friendship, and pitching/playing infield for the 棒球 团队.