Davenport ’22 Selected for Leadership Position by Local Government

Chase Davenport ’22, a political science major with minors in economics and global studies, was recently appointed as student representative for the Selectboard of his hometown of Princeton.  Davenport, who will serve this one-year term as a deliberating but non-voting member of the Board, hopes to provide a youth perspective to issues that come before the deliberative body. 

“I hope to encourage young people like me to become more politically engaged – especially within our local community government,” he said. “One problem that often occurs in small government bodies is the under-engagement and under-representation of college-age young adults. I feel it is important for young people like me to be politically active, and to be involved in our community governments so that we have a say in the goings-on of our hometowns. No one is going to speak on our behalf if we fail to.” 

Chase was appointed by the sitting members of the Selectboard. To be qualified for the position of student representative, one has to be a high school or college student and a Princeton resident.  He was chosen by the Selectboard because both his credentials and views on current issues are what they wanted in a student representative.  

Davenport’s political science classes have “been teaching me about all the exact ideas and philosophies that apply to my position on the Princeton Selectboard, and I only expect that to continue. My major and Selectboard position overlap in my interests,” he explained. “I am passionate about both for the same reasons.”

The purpose of the Princeton Selectboard is to be attentive to local citizens, voters, to determine the town’s necessities and administer the affairs and property of the town to meet the benefit of the common good. 

Davenport plans on attending law school after graduating from Assumption University.