Campus Leaders Make Great Community Leaders: Why Your First Election Starts Now

For many young people, the journey toward public office begins long before they ever file campaign paperwork or knock on their first door. It starts on campus: in student clubs, advisory boards, and student government meetings where young women learn to speak up, advocate for change, and step into leadership.

During IGNITE’s Claim Your Seat: From Campus to Community workshop, students explored how the roles they take on today can pave the way for elected leadership tomorrow. The message was clear: Your first election may be closer than you think and you already have what it takes to run.

Leadership Begins Before You Think It Does

So often, young women don’t see themselves as “qualified” to run for office, even when they’ve been leading for years. Student leaders make powerful candidates because they understand what matters to their peers and communities. That lived experience is a political asset, not a limitation. Our speakers showed attendees exactly what that looks like in action.

As a Trustee Anaheim Union High School District and Senior Policy Advisor for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Jessica Guerrero encouraged participants to consider running for office, “If you care about your community and are committed to making a difference, now is the time to step into public service or run for office.” While she mentioned that young women may be told by some that they’re not qualified or that it’s not their turn, young people should run for office if they know they’re doing it for the right reasons.

Communities are counting on strong leaders, like our IGNITE participants, to bring their voices to the table.

Trustee Guerrero’s story resonated with many, as she balances both a full-time position and her elected office. Balancing different roles can be a challenge but there are opportunities for young people to get involved now, including with local boards and commissions.

The Skills You Build on Campus Transfer Directly to Community Leadership

One of the core themes of Claim Your Seat was the connection between student leadership roles and local elected offices. The campaign skills students learn on campus mirror those used in city council, school board, and county races. These aren’t abstract concepts. They’re skills that students use every day in leadership roles, long before they run their first public office race.

While involved at Norco College last school year, Ashley Yoon (right) got involved with IGNITE by attending IGNITE the Capitol California. Soon after attending the event, Ashley ran and won her seat as Vice President of Campus Organizations, and she is responsible for over 40 clubs and organizations on her campus.  In this role, Ashley listens to her constituents and works every day to improve community building at her community college.

Despite not being appointed to the student government association the previous year, Ashley felt compelled to run for her seat in the spring, “There were definitely times where I felt discouraged…the only way I overcame that was just to not care.” She told attendees to keep going and to commit to running. As she campaigned, she learned how to get her name and message out to the campus community. 

Ashley's story helped students connect the dots between campus leadership and community impact and understand that candidacy doesn’t begin “someday.” It begins the moment they decide their voice matters.

What Students Learned and Practiced During Claim Your Seat

Throughout the session, participants were guided through the same foundational steps used by real candidates:

Identifying Your Issue
Participants were asked to choose one issue they care deeply about–the grounding point for any campaign.

Mapping Your Seat
Then they explored which office had the power to address that issue. Those roles ranged from club president, student government officer, school board, city council, and state legislature. 

Understanding Campaign Strategy
Participants learned both the science and art of running for office, including filing, building a team, fundraising, mapping a campaign strategy, getting people to vote, and the storytelling skills that make candidates compelling.

Planning the Win Number
In order to win elections, voters have to turn out in elections to support them. That means that candidates need to figure out how many votes they need to win. Attendees learned how to estimate the votes they need–demystifying a part of campaigning that often feels intimidating.

Declaring Their First Step
The workshop closed by asking students to identify their next step. This could be identifying what leadership roles or offices they want to explore next or asking for support from their network.

Why Local Government Needs More Young Leaders

As the workshop emphasized, most of the 520,000 elected offices in the US are local, and women remain dramatically underrepresented in them.

Local leaders make decisions on issues students care deeply about, such as education, housing,  public safety, and more. This is why IGNITE emphasizes that leadership doesn’t just begin at the Capitol–it begins in the community. Campus leadership is one of the strongest pipelines to elected office.

Ready to Run? Your First Election Might Be On Campus.

Whether you’re leading a club, speaking at a town hall, or helping your peers navigate campus challenges, you’re already building the skills of an elected leader.

Your issue matters.
Your seat is waiting.
And IGNITE is here to help you get started.
So, what seat are you claiming next?

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Explore upcoming IGNITE trainings and take your next step toward leadership.

Are you a woman currently serving in student government? Join IGNITE’s Women in Student Government Network to stay connected with the community.