‘The Future of The Youth’ | Penn State GOP Hosts PCLC III
By: Jed Jallorina
STATE COLLEGE, PA – This past weekend, Happy Valley came to life with the third annual Pennsylvania Collegiate Leadership Conference (PCLC) at the HUB-Robeson Center. The highly anticipated event, spanning two days, was hosted by the Penn State College Republicans and featured numerous speakers, networking opportunities, and a moderated debate.
Over 100 students from universities across the country signed up for the conference and had the opportunity to engage with elected officials from their local and national community, including Congressman Glenn Thompson, PA State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, State Senator Chris Dush, State Representative David Rowe, and Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid “JD” Longo.
Day One of the Conference was held in the Lion’s Lair on Friday night. Kicking off the weekend was the founder and Chairman of the College Republicans of America, Will Donahue, with some impactful remarks on the state of American politics, the future of the Republican party, and the importance of fostering the growth of new leaders among the conservative youth.
Reflecting on this message and the path ahead for young conservatives, Penn State College Republicans Vice President Hunter Steach said, “In today’s political climate… It’s definitely tough, to say the least, but now more than ever, our generation needs to stand up.”
Following Mr. Donahue was President of Penn State College Republicans, Tristin Kilgore, the Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Federation of College Republicans, Jesse Milston, and Turning Point Field Representative, Will Versaw. The rest of the night was reserved for the attendees to meet and network with their fellow College Republicans.
Day Two of the Conference began early Saturday morning. Congressman Glenn Thompson started the second day strong, recalling his own experiences as a young representative and his successful efforts to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, and offering several words of guidance to the youth leaders in the audience.
“I think young conservatives are in a perfect place. You want to be battle-tested,” Representative Thompson noted during a brief interview following his remarks on stage. “It’s an opportunity, too… I think it builds skills, it builds resiliency, it builds confidence.”
Other notable events on Day Two included a leadership panel featuring the Chairmen of the New York and Pennsylvania Federations of College Republicans, Steven Margolis and Gianni Matteo, respectively. Kevin Lynn of the Institute for a Sound Public Policy hosted a breakout session on the impact of legal immigration programs, specifically STEM OPT and H1-B visas, on American students. This was followed by speeches from Penn State College Republicans’ own Tristin Kilgore, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, State Senator Chris Dush, Mark Krikorian, and the Mayor of Slippery Rock, JD Longo.
The Conference concluded with the long-anticipated debate between Chairman Will Donahue and Anthony Cacciato, Chair of the Pennsylvania Young Americans for Liberty, regarding the United States’ recent intervention in Venezuela and the future of American foreign policy.
The two-day event was widely praised by countless attendees, all of whom valued the opportunity to meet state and local leaders, network with fellow conservatives, and learn more about what it means to be a leader in today’s political landscape.
“It went really well. We just love that we’re able to bring everyone together like this,” remarked Kilgore as attendees began to file out. “Now we’ve got to start getting ready for the next one.”
The Penn State College Republicans are already preparing to host PCLC IV next year and look forward to bringing together aspiring young leaders once again for an event that will allow them to learn, engage, and gain valuable leadership experience within the conservative community.