While looking for a place to charge her phone during the Democratic National Convention, alumna Claire Satkiewicz (‘23) found herself in a conversation with a man working on artificial intelligence at the Pentagon.
“He told me a lot about different [Department of Defense] internships out there, talked about how young people get involved in his field, which is more security and defense at the Pentagon,” said Satkiewicz. “And that wasn’t a career path I had ever thought about before, but it opened my eyes a lot to all the different options I have in front of me now.”
As an alternate delegate at the 2024 DNC, Satkiewicz stepped in for a delegate whenever they needed a break, where she interacted with other delegates and watched speakers up close.
“I got to see the DNC from two perspectives,” said Satkiewicz. “I got to go high up [in the arena] and see the big crowds and all the theatrics of the stage, but I could also see it up close on the floor with the rest of the Illinois delegation.”
Delegates represent the population of a given state proportionally through popular vote and determine the party’s presidential candidate.
“Think of delegates like the Electoral College for the primary elections,” said Satkiewicz. “Individuals [who are not delegates] vote, but their votes are more ‘informal’ in the sense that they do not directly lead to the most popular candidate being elected.”
During Satkiewicz’s senior year at Glenbrook North, Tracy Katz Muhl, Illinois State Representative of the 57th District who mentors Satkiewicz on government, advocacy and political work, encouraged Satkiewicz to apply for a delegate role.
“I wanted to see myself representing not only my state, but also young people and Asian Americans and women,” Satkiewicz said.
According to Katz Muhl, Satkiewicz’s commitment to and involvement in politics led to her opportunity at the DNC.
“Claire was one of those students who just consistently came back to say, ‘How could I help?’” said Katz Muhl. “And when you’re looking for people to serve as a delegate or to run for different kinds of office, that mentality is important.”
Satkiewicz learned that she had been appointed as an alternate in April.
“I had spent the past year thinking about this opportunity, getting really excited about it, really hoping that it was something I would see in my future,” said Satkiewicz. “And when I found out that I was chosen, it was like a year’s worth of excitement.”
Satkiewicz was the youngest person in nearly every room she walked into, she said.
“[The delegates] were very much Illinois political veterans, and at first it was a little bit scary to break into a group of people that all had spent a long time knowing each other,” Satkiewicz said.
According to Katz Muhl, Satkiewicz’s poise and confidence going into rooms with new people and advocating for political issues she cared about was impressive.
“These are big nationwide events with volunteers and elected officials at all levels, and I think that the grace and confidence in those kinds of environments that she showed was well beyond what you would typically expect from a college student,” Katz Muhl said.
In high school, Satkiewicz was a student field captain for the Northbrook Democratic Party and attended endorsement meetings where she met different Illinois politicians.
“Those cumulative experiences [were] how I got to be where I am now, and how I got to both know [Katz Muhl] very well, but also acquaint myself with the Illinois Democratic Party,” Satkiewicz said.
Satkiewicz plans to attend law school in the future but is keeping an open mind about her involvement in politics.
“I really learned that the sky is the limit, in a way,” said Satkiewicz. “I think that a lot of people, first of all, look at politics and feel like they don’t have a lot of control over it, but take things into your own hands or follow your passions, there’s always going to be some kind of exciting outcome for you.”