By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer
Active at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) for the past 10 years, the Political Science Club defines its purpose as “to foster and expand the interests and pursuits of students in government and politics.” In addition, via the club, the ASCC Social Science Department promotes its Associate of Arts degree in Political Science to students who are interested in pursuing this field. Open to both majors and non-majors in Political Science, the Political Science Club currently has 59 members. With American Samoa’s elections growing closer, the club recently undertook a Voter Registration Drive on the ASCC campus for the benefit of students interested and qualified to vote but unfamiliar with the registration process.
In late September and early October, the Political Science Club used conventional information channels and social media to inform the ASCC student body that assistance was available to anyone seeking to register to vote for the first time. The club helped interested students organise their required identification and complete the necessary paperwork. They even provided transportation between the ASCC campus and the Election Office to ensure that the first-time voters completed their registration. While the number of students who completed the process thanks to the available assistance was only eight, the club made the welcome discovery that the majority of qualified individuals attending ASCC have already registered to participate in the election. During the Registration Drive, the club also help clarify the applicable policies for students who would like to vote but do not meet residency requirements.
“Our club members already had a strong sense of the importance of participating in the voting process,” shared Social Science Department faculty member and Political Science Club co-advisor Adrian Vasai-Moana, “but through the Registration Drive they also gained a familiarity with the various requirements voters need to meet.” Vasai-Moana and fellow co-advisor Kayla Sauafea-Eli both emphasised that for the Political Science Club members, holding the Registration Drive confirmed how participation in the political process, especially by young adults, will shape the future of their home. As one of the club officers reflected, “Observing the various challenges and changes our country has experienced over the years reinforces our understanding of how voting is not merely a privilege, but a vital opportunity to select candidates who reflect our beliefs, visions, and aspirations.”
In addition to the recent Registration Drive, the Political Science Club regularly holds activities that provide opportunities for increased awareness and community engagement. Prominent figures from the public and private sectors often accept invitations to speak to the club, and over the past few semesters these guests have included Governor Lemanu, Lt. Governor Ale, BlueSky CEO Justin Tuiasosopo, DYWA Director, Salote Aoelua, District #16 Representative Sam Meleisea, and Congresswoman Uifaatali Aumua Amata, to name a few.
As neutral observers, the club has participated in community events held by both the Democratic and Republican local parties, and they will also assist the American Samoa Bar Association with its upcoming Gubernatorial Forum. To experience firsthand the inner-workings of local and national agencies, the club has made field trips to entities including the National Parks, the Weather Bureau, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, and the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office.
Vasai-Moana shared that Political Science continues to gain popularity among students as an option to major in at ASCC. Political Science one of seven fields of study offered by the ASCC Social Science Department, the others being History, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography and Philosophy. Vasai-Moana proudly noted that the ASCC Social Science Department has established an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, who now accept/transfer all Political Science courses from ASCC….PACNEWS/ASCC
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