Courtesy of Jack Dozier

In mid-August, the Democratic National Convention convened in Chicago, where Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president. Several of the thousand attendees at the DNC were current Yale students. 

The News spoke with four students who recently attended the DNC. They shared that, in addition to feeling energized, they returned to campus with a newfound motivation for election activism.

“It really reminded me why I work in the political world, why I enjoy organizing,” said Jack Dozier ’27, a volunteer for the second, third and fourth days of the convention. 

Dozier attended the DNC as a volunteer after working as a regional organizer for the Democratic National Committee’s coordinated campaign with the Democratic Party of Virginia. Following the end of his work, he flew to Chicago as a volunteer with his mother, Janine Kenna Dozier ’95. 

The pair volunteered in the United Center as part of the production team, working 19 hours on Tuesday and Thursday and 15 hours on Wednesday. 

“It is great to know that 30 years later, Yale undergraduates continue to be deeply invested in creating a just and equitable United States” Kenna Dozier, who worked on Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s early campaigns as Yale undergraduate, wrote to the News. 

Grey Battle ’26 was elected as one of two delegates from Alabama’s 6th district. Originally pledged to support President Joe Biden during the Democratic Primary, Battle voted for Harris in the virtual voting process that concluded on Aug. 2, securing Harris as the Democratic nominee. 

Battle described the support for the Harris-Walz presidential ticket from younger generations as “overwhelming.” She highlighted the importance of civic education and voting reform, drawing attention to “blue opportunity” in states such as Alabama. 

“If Democrats show up, they can win,” Battle, who described more than a third of rural voters as persuadable, wrote to the News. 

The DNC also brought excitement for Yale students from the Chicago area, including Meher Sethi ’25 and Alex Schapiro ’26. 

Sethi attended the second day of the convention and was present for speeches on the third night, where Minnesota Governor Tim Walz formally accepted the vice presidential nomination. He received a pass for the DNC from Blue Future, an organization he has been involved with since high school that seeks to engage young people in politics. 

Schapiro attended the convention along with his mother and sister. His sister was working at the DNC and his mother is involved with the Midwest finance committee of the Harris-Walz campaign. 

A range of issues and moments at the DNC stood out to students. 

Sethi cited his appreciation for a focus on “Kitchen table issues” at the DNC, issues that impact the daily lives of voters, including student debt, housing and affordability which directly relate to students. 

Dozier mentioned labor organizations and education as two issues he considers most important to discuss. He cited a speech from Randi Weingarten, the current president of the American Federation of Teachers, as an impactful intersection between his investment in unions and expanding educational access. 

Dozier highlighted unity as one of the key takeaways from the convention, saying, “Everyone felt like they’re in this fight together.” 

“The DNC was vibrant, and it was energetic in a way that I think represented America,” said Sethi. 

For Schapiro, speeches by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Former First Lady Michelle Obama were especially memorable. 

The four students plan to stay involved with the Harris-Walz campaign. 

Schapiro plans to drive with friends to Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, to knock on doors and campaign for Harris-Walz. 

Sethi echoed Schapiro’s support for actively campaigning in Pennsylvania. He also started creating TikTok content breaking down his experience at the DNC and continues to record and post in support of the Harris-Walz campaign. 

Sethi added that it is important to have one-on-one conversations given the diversity of perspectives at Yale. While Connecticut typically votes blue, many students on campus mail-in ballots for key battleground states.

Dozier, who recently joined the organization Yalies4Harris, highlighted his interest in organizing phone banks and outreach.

“Going to the convention really made me want to do more … it made me want to apply to more classes that were in this political realm [and] made me want to try to organize more phone banks,” Dozier said.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.