Duke Democrats endorses Wilson for Young Trustee

The Duke Democrats would like to endorse Olly Wilson for Young Trustee; nonetheless, Kaveh Danesh, through his active involvement with DSG and the Board of Trustees, has also proven himself fully qualified to advocate for the concerns of students at the highest level. Thus, we would encourage Duke students to rank both of these candidates as their top two selections.

We recommend voters select Olly Wilson first on their ballots. At a time when our University is undergoing change and facing many challenges, we believe that Olly Wilson will ensure that the student’s voice does not get lost in the shuffle. Because of his clear and confident communication skills, we are certain that he has the ability to demand respect in the Board room. Most importantly, his record of activism on campus proves that he will advocate for our agenda of social responsibility and diversity inclusion. With the future of this University headed in the direction of international expansion, Olly sees this as an opportunity to extend Duke’s positive impact to the world. What’s most comforting is that, even as an international student, Olly recognizes that Durham is our home and no matter how rapidly we expand, we must always remember to serve our immediate community.

We encourage voters to rank Kaveh Danesh second on their ballot, as he is also highly qualified for this prestigious position. What stands out most about Kaveh is his love and passion for Duke University. As a result, he has become highly involved on campus in a variety of ways, including being a Line Monitor, FAC, DSG vice president of academic affairs, among many others. His involvement has given him the opportunity to work with the Board of Trustees over the last two years. Thus, we also feel confident in his ability to speak up and be heard. Kaveh is well traveled and fluent in multiple languages; thus, we believed he is also prepared to contribute valuable input to the global expansion dialogue. Specifically, he is a strong advocate for greater access to financial aid, abroad and at home. This focus on inclusion and equal opportunity truly resonates with the Duke Democrats and thus, we also believe Kaveh would make an outstanding choice for Young Trustee.

Reuben Ogbonna, Trinity ’12

Chair of Democratic Relations, Duke Democrats