How will you spend your Thanksgiving break?
The second that Barack Obama announced his decision to campaign for president of the United States, Jordan Budd knew he wanted to help get the man in office.
"I had read his book already, and I felt like I had a special connection to him," Budd said.
Budd, now a Gallatin junior, said he and Obama share a similar upbringing; both are biracial and were raised by single mothers.
"We both had very similar stories in terms of how we met the other side of our families, and what we felt like when we met the other side," he said.
Budd, who was born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., grew up in a predominantly white environment.
Although he would discuss politics with his family, it wasn't until Obama ran for office that he felt compelled to become actively involved in the process.
"I was personally invested in him as an individual. And when he won, I felt like I won," Budd said.
During his senior year of high school, Budd volunteered for the campaign, making hundreds, sometimes thousands of phone calls a day and knocking on doors, urging people to vote for Obama.
In September 2008, Budd became the Constituency Director of Pinellas County, Fla. At the age of 18, Budd was leading a staff of nearly 200 people, some of whom were twice his age.
"It was tough. Some of them thought I was just an easy buck," he said.
But Budd eventually fired three people from his staff and told the rest how vital their role in the campaign was. "We could lose Florida and lose the entire election," Budd said to the group.
"After that, my numbers skyrocketed," Budd told WSN.
Budd, along with Steinhardt junior Mika Rotham and Gallatin sophomore Kaitlyn Gosman, helped organize NYU's Students for Obama in his freshman year. The NYU chapter was named one of the most active college organizations for Obama by the campaign.
And the summer after his freshman year at NYU, Budd became an official staff member of the campaign.
"I literally left school and drove to Georgia," Budd said.
Budd spent a majority of his third semester at NYU in Athens, Ga., working as a field organizer. Budd worked on the campaign until November of that semester and counted it as his independent study.
This past summer, Budd began working for Organizing for America and continued until November.
In addition to campaigning for the president, Budd has also tried to bring attention to what he perceives as a lack of racial diversity at NYU.
"Often being the only student of color in my classes is a very real thing to me," Budd said. "It's not just about numbers."
At a town hall meeting, Budd asked NYU President John Sexton why the university isn't racially diverse, especially considering the school's location.
"He seemed surprised by my question," Budd said. "He was unaware of how bad it was." Sexton and Budd then exchanged e-mails concerning the issue for the week.
Budd created the Gallatin Committee on Racial Diversity and has also been actively involved with NYU's Center for Multicultural Education and Programs. He considers himself "a child of the Center."
Every semester since his freshman year, Budd has participated in the Center's Intergroup Dialogue, where a small group of students discusses issues such as race, sexuality and education over the course. Budd has participated in race, sexuality and black-Jewish dialogues.
"I think a lot of people in this country think talking about race, talking about racial differences, is inherently racist," he said.
Budd said he can't imagine what his life would be like if it wasn't for his involvement in the Obama campaign.
"All my friends are from it," he said.
Next semester, Budd plans on working with New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. And next summer, he's moving to Washington, D.C., where he hopes to get a job in the Obama administration. He's aiming for a job at the Department of Education in 10 years.
His goals are set high. But if his time at NYU was any indication, we have no doubt he'll achieve them.
