NEW HAVEN – On Saturday, Nov.  14, 2009, the University of New Haven College Democrats attended the Fall 2009 College Democrats of Connecticut Convention. President Zack Rosen and Sergeant-at-Arms Becky Kruge visited Yale to listen to speakers which included United States Representative Rosa DeLauro, Stamford, CT mayor and gubernatorial candidate Dan Malloy, and former U.S. senator candidate and potential gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont.

In addition to other speakers, the convention also included workshops with various professionals. These breakout groups had topics such as grassroots campaigning and how to grow a chapter.

The convention, the first ever convention held during the fall, was a tremendous success. Ten schools across the state, including the University of New Haven, University of Connecticut, and Quinnipiac University, had the opportunity to hear from Democratic party leaders.

“This convention was just one piece of a larger effort to unite chapters from schools across the state,” said President of the College Democrats of Connecticut Ben Stango, “and to form a powerful Democratic student movement. When students in Connecticut are educated, informed, driven, active, and united, we can serve as a force for the Democratic Party here in Connecticut and [all] across New England.”

With last year’s historic presidential election over a year old, college Democrats throughout the state will be working to elect and reelect Democrats to office. Students will be energizing and mobilizing other inactive members of their campus communities, as well as lobbying for meaningful progressive legislation in Hartford and Washington, D.C.

“In essence,” says Stango, “we are moving into a new era of student politics here in Connecticut – the College Democrats of Connecticut will make change a reality.”