When OU College Republicans President Missy Pedulla defines her ideals and politics, one word comes to mind: self-reliance.
Even though politics were not important in her early life, this value drove her to eventually identify with the Republican party. After joining the Ohio University College Republicans as a freshman, Pedulla, a rising junior, now finds herself as the face of the organization.
“There was a mentality raised in me that you have to rely on yourself and only yourself,” Pedulla said. “Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime.”
Pedulla said after joining OUCR, she found a love for the group and what they do. She doesn't just love the politics, but also the interactions she gets to have with other people.
As president, Pedulla will talk with politicians, organize events, get people motivated within the group and be the head of the executive board.
“She is going to have plenty on her plate, especially with the governor race and with the senate race,” said Ryan Evans, OUCR's former president. “At the end of the day, it's a good thing because she will be able to divvy out more responsibilities to other members.”
Besides being OUCR president, Pedulla, who studies finance, is the property manager for Alpha Delta Pi and a representative for the Student Activities Commission.
When Pedulla joined OUCR Fall Semester of 2016, the country was in the midst of a divisive presidential election year. Pedulla remembers sitting watching the election results with her friends.
“I did not think Trump was going to win,” Pedulla said. “It was crazy.”
Pedulla said the OUCR meeting the next day was very energetic. The organization had done a lot of campaigning and were proud of their success promoting their candidates.
The 2018 midterm elections will be a primary focus of the organization this fall. Much of their time will be spent assisting in local, state and federal campaigns, such as State Rep. Jay Edwards, Athens County Auditor Jill Thompson, U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers and more.
“It's like working another job,” Pedulla said. “We want to help (those candidates) because they are great candidates, and we just want to do a lot for them.”
Another focus will be on their annual fundraiser and trip to the Conservative Political Action Conference. The fundraiser is a dinner with alumni of the organization and other guests.
Evans said last year, the organization had a record number of people attend the event and raised a record amount of money. Overall, the organization raised more than $13,000.
Pedulla said she recognizes there can sometimes be a negative stigma against conservatives on college campuses, where she said much of the population tends to be liberal.
She said a good way to combat the divisiveness that comes with politics is to talk about issues with people who disagree in-person rather than online. She said social media platforms give people the impression that they are much more divided than they are in reality.
The OU LGBT Center, College Democrats and College Republicans help bridge the gap between their politics through Pizza and Politics, an event that creates dialogue between the groups. Other debate-style events are also hosted throughout the year.
“I hope that the relationship that we built up with the College Republicans over the last year can continue,” said Ashley Fishwick, the former president of the OU College Democrats. “I know that they will make it a priority to maintain that relationship even though we disagree on a lot of issues.”
Along with Bailey Williams, the new OUCD president, Pedulla will be an important figure on campus during the 2018 election season.
“It's the most nerve wracking thing but also the most exciting thing,” Pedulla said.
