University of Mary Washington - Index

University of Mary Washington - summer08 - Index

The ongoing race for the next president of the United States has been
invigorating, engrossing, and groundbreaking. Is it any wonder, then, that
Mary Washington alumni, intent on changing the world, have thrown
themselves into the thick of things? Whether they’ve spent the last several months
mapping out touring routes, prevailing upon voters, or bridging the gaps between
political leaders, UMW grads have shown their patriotic colors this campaign
season. Three of them – one a theater major, another a sociology major, and the
third a historic preservation major – explain what drew them into the intriguing
world of politics. They describe why they were compelled to support this race’s
main contenders: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain.
Obama: Theater Major’s Political
Career Not Just a Dress Rehearsal
Liz Reiter ’98 was managing stage productions in the
nation’s capital when she traded traditional theater for the
political kind.
“I was always engaged in politics,” said Reiter, who earned a
theater degree at UMW before working behind the scenes on
everything from Shakespearean plays to dance productions.
“My friends always thought I was weird. On Sunday morning,
they’d say, ‘Let’s go to brunch,’ and I’d say, ‘I can’t. I’m watching
“Meet the Press.”’ This was before TiVo.”
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UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON MAGAZINE����������������
Three UMW alums
talk about their
political professions
| By Edie Gross
Y
Though always interested in politics, Reiter said it never
occurred to her she could work on a presidential campaign
until a friend of hers joined one in 2003.
“I thought, ‘Real people work on campaigns?’ I thought
you had to be a politician,” said Reiter, who promptly quit
her job and became a full-time volunteer for presidential
hopeful John Kerry.
She stuffed envelopes, answered phones, and collected
news clippings before eventually working her way up to a
spot on Kerry’s advance team, where her stage-managing
experience helped her organize campaign events.
These days, she uses those same skills as deputy director
of advance for Democratic presidential nominee Barack