The College Republicans want to make a dent in political apathy, spread conservative views and have fun doing it, said Danielle Fowles, a senior political science major, co-founder and former chairwoman of the group.
“I’ve been conservative pretty much all my life,” Fowles said.
It was during a stint as an intern for Rep. Chris Cannon in the fall of 2003 that Fowles decided to found the College Republicans-U Chapter.
“Our goal was just to get the conservative voice heard on campus,” she said.
“It was an injustice, really, that conservative viewpoints weren’t being brought to the forefront.”
The group was established in addition to the then-existing College Republicans.
“They weren’t active when we got started,” Fowles said.
The resulting confusion between the two clubs became the group’s biggest challenge, she said.
The U Chapter is active and boasts a membership or more than 400 students. The tally is based on the number of people it has on its e-mail list.
Ryan Geertsen, a senior majoring in marketing, counts himself among the involved for a reason.
“I think you should understand why (you) believe what you believe,” he said. “You should learn the issues.”
Geertsen said he sees his time with the College Republicans as well spent.
Meetings with elected officials, attendance at conservative conferences and internship opportunities are among the highlights.
“It’s not just good for conservative students,” Fowles said.
Getting to meet elected officials, fighting political apathy and sparking debate should be seen as a positive for all U students, she said.
Yana Jurovitzki, a sophomore in political science and Russian, is the club’s current chairwoman.
She said Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtlef will be coming to campus to celebrate the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution at a future date.
Juronitzki said perspective members shouldn’t be shy because “It’s a lot of fun.”
Conservative students who may not agree with the entire GOP platform should still consider joining, Fowles said.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are a one-issue person or a platform person.”
Anyone who wants to join or learn more about the club can visit www.uofucollegerepublicans.com.