2010 Mark Strama Campaign Academy
The Mark Strama for State Representative Campaign Academy is a unique summer opportunity for high school and college students to work inside a high-profile campaign. You will learn the nuts and bolts of modern politics as well as the important policy questions that confront state government. Daily lunch speakers will include current and former elected officials, political consultants, university professors, and state policy experts.
Campaign Academy is dedicated to ensuring that every student has a rewarding and challenging experience, while making a difference in the political system.
How to apply:
If you are a Junior or Senior in High School, a college student, or a recent graduate, and interested in participating in Campaign Academy 2010, please send an email to info@markstrama.com with "Campaign Academy 2010 Application" in the subject line and include the following information:
NAME:
AGE:
ADDRESS:
EMAIL:
PHONE (indicate if cell):
SCHOOL & INCOMING GRADE:
Please provide a brief essay of no more than 350 words, describing your interest in the Campaign Academy and in politics in general, as well as any previous experience you have in politics.
BRIEF ESSAY:
Mark Strama Campaign Academy in the News!
Prior Campaign Academies earned accolades from all corners of Austin for helping engage and teach students about politics and government.
- News 8 Austin: "Students get hands-on campaign experience"
- Daily Texan: "Young politicos host StramaRama"
- KVUE: "Campaign Academy gives students hand-on campaign experience"
- Austin American-Statesman: "Spending the Summer at Camp Strama"
- Scripps College: "One Vote Matters: Scripps First-Year Learns the Value of the Vote"
Campaign Academy Blog
Previous campaign academies created blogs which detailed their experiences on the campaign trail. Read the 2010 Campaign Academy Blog, the 2008 Campaign Academy Blog and the 2006 Campaign Academy Blog to see highlights from the prior two campaign academies and learn more about what happens at Campaign Academy!
Upcoming Speakers
To Be Announced in May
General Information
Dates: June 14, 2010 - July 16, 2010
Daily Schedule (M-F): 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (lunch provided)
Location: TBA in May
Past Speakers, Schedule, & Events
Campaign Academy takes on key campaign functions and executes them flawlessly. In prior years, academy participants knocked on thousands of doors, made hundreds of phone calls, and talked to huge numbers of voters in District 50. They helped maintain the campaign database and run the campaign office. They even organized the campaign's kickoff event, an afternoon of music, games, food, and fun they called Stramarama.
Campaign Academy students learn how to campaign from political professionals who have been in trenches and understand what it takes to be successful in the political world. They also have access to unique opportunities, like having front row seats at the 2008 Netroots Nation keynote speeches by Al Gore and Nancy Pelosi.
In past years, Campaign Academy speakers included:
- State Representatives Rafael Anchía, Donna Howard, and Patrick Rose
- Former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes
- Former Democratic National Committee Chairman and Vermont Governor Howard Dean
- Admiral Bob Inman
- Former Texas Comptroller, State Senator, and current candidate for US Senate John Sharp
- City of Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez
- Former Texas Monthly Editor and current Texas Tribune Editor Evan Smith
- Matthew Dowd, Chief Strategist for Bush/Cheney '04
- Center for Public Policy Priorities Senior Fiscal Analyst Dick Lavine
- Bloggers Karl-Thomas Musselman, Paul Burka, and Elise Hu
- State Senator Kel Seliger
- Quorum Report Journalist Harvey Kronberg
- UT professor and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Dr. Paul Stekler
- Former Austin mayor and current State Senator Kirk Watson
- And many others including current and former elected officials, political consultants, journalists, and professors.