Personalities: Today's a test for senior's efforts

Today's the day he worked for. After months of putting up posters, stumping door to door and passing out registration cards, Election Day is finally here.

Penn Leads the Vote President and College senior Bren Darrow is passionate about something a lot of people his age won't take a few minutes a year to do: voting.

As president of Penn Leads the Vote, Darrow has worked with everyone from minority coalitions to University officials to change what he views as the political apathy pervading today's college campuses.

"Right now, as anyone can tell, young people vote less than any other demographic," Darrow said. "The reason is a widespread sense [among young people] that their vote doesn't count."

He finds this trend frustrating, he said. If only more young people voted, things such as Pell Grants and Stafford Loans for financial aid "might be on the table to be discussed," he said. "Instead, they are swept away."

Penn Leads the Vote has registered an estimated 1,500 Penn students to vote, not including those who were registered through minority coalitions or other student groups.

Darrow, a California native, says he had a kind of political awakening while taking a semester abroad.

"I spent July through November in El Salvador. . I worked with an educational development project, tutoring and teaching basic computer skills," he explained.

Darrow said that being in a place with such stark differences between different groups of people made him think about a future career in law.

"I've just finished my law school applications," Darrow said. "I want to go to school in California . and I want to eventually go into public interest law."

Though Darrow didn't mention any political aspirations for himself, he did say he wants to work "in a way that allows me to interpret and influence the law."

And those at Penn Leads the Vote say Darrow is already making a difference.

"He makes it easy to get involved," said College sophomore Mike Gibaldi as he passed out Penn Leads the Vote flyers outside Huntsman Hall.

Darrow's predecessors agree.

"He's really dedicated," said 2006 Penn graduate and Penn Leads the Vote founder Jason Oberman, who started the organization in conjunction with Fox Leadership before the 2004 presidential election. "He's really trying to make sure the youth vote is heard."

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