Advocating For The Sake Of Auburn

Allison Kajs is not an Auburn native. She came to Alabama looking for a big school in a small town. Her final criterion was a school with a good football team, so of course Kajs chose Auburn University. When she started school. Kajs never thought she would be chairman of the Auburn University College Republicans [AUCR]. She got involved, though and advocates for republican candidates throughout the state.

College Republicans was founded in 1892. It is a committee independent of the national GOP, but with more than 1,500 chapters in U.S. schools, it is a force to be reckoned with.

Kajs has been a key factor in keeping the Auburn University chapter excellent. The most important step to doing so is ensuring membership numbers stay high. Kajs invites polititians’ aids, campaign representatives or politicians to speak at meetings to interest members in attending meetings.

Four speakers attended AUCR’s first meeting of the semester on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. Each of them praised the chapter for its dedication to various campaigns. One speaker told members that their chapter is known not just by republican officials in Alabama, but also by those nationwide. He described the Auburn University chapter as “hard-working” and said it would not be possible to campaign the way they do without having AUCR’s help.

Young Boozer, the republican candidate for Alabama State Treasurer, was one of the speakers. He came to Auburn University to ask the college republicans to aid him in his campaign on campus. He said he knew he could count on them because of their “stellar reputation.”

Hearing well-known speakers at meetings is not the only reason students join the club. Some want to use their membership as a stepping-stone to Washington, D.C. Others know how their parents lean politically and join to see if they feel the same way. Kajs has her own reasons.

“I joined AUCR as a freshman because the chairman at the time remembered my name,” said Kajs. “I’m a psychology major and hadn’t ever considered politics.”

That year, chairman planned a trip to see Senator John McCain speak in Birmingham, Ala. in January 2008. Club members worked the rally, helping to pass out signs and recruit attendees to his campaign. After seeing all the excitement and making friends with members of AUCR, Kajs’ ambition began.

She helped out with McCain’s campus campaign during the 2008 Presidential election. She worked her way up to the head of the club. Kajs even intends to participate in the Auburn On The Hill program, which helps Auburn University students who are interested in politics get internships with state representatives in Washington, D.C.

None of these are what Kajs considers most important. She’s from Texas, but knows any decision made by Alabama politicians will affect Auburn University. Kajs loves Auburn so much and refuses to let it suffer because she hasn’t done all she could to share the opinions of AUCR with the Alabama GOP.

“It’s important that we advocate for anything and anyone that represents what the Auburn University College Republicans stands for,” said Kajs. “I pour my heart and soul into each campaign I help with because it’s important.”

Her dedication shows. Tuesday’s meeting had so many attendees that people were standing at the back and out the door. Even if they had no idea why they were joining, they now know they’re a part of a group working hard to advocate for Auburn's sake.

One more thing. That guy that was chairman when Kajs first joined? He’s her boyfriend now.