College Republicans Of Mass. Convene

The Harvard Republican Club (HRC) arrived at an annual convention of college Republicans this weekend as the largest group present, and departed with an award recognizing their activism and innovation.

The Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans (MACR) honored the HRC with a Chapter of the Year award on Saturday, MACR Chairman Michael R. Miltenberger ’08 said.

“They were one of the [clubs] in the state that probably did the most to really reach out and try to take on issues, bring in speakers, and carry out the kinds of things to make themselves known on campus,” Miltenberger said of the HRC, of which he is a member.

The MACR executive board that honored the HRC included Miltenberger and seven undergraduates from other Massachusetts colleges.

HRC Vice President for Campaigns and Activism Colin J. Motley ’10 attributed the success of the organization to the club’s strong leadership and enthusiasm.

“I think this year, we’ve had a really strong board,” Motley said. “We’ve had a lot of great activities that I think a lot of clubs around the state really want to do. We just happen to pull a lot of them off.”

Motley mentioned a recent HRC trip to a conservative political action conference in Washington, as well as a “support-our-troops drive” earlier this year, as evidence of the club’s success.

Bringing at least 20 collegiate Republican organizations from Massachusetts to Harvard Hall, this year’s MACR convention provided a forum for the various clubs to share ideas and address issues ranging from the upcoming presidential election to internship and campaign volunteer opportunities for their members.

“First and foremost, it is a swap shop of ideas to see what each club is doing on their campus and how you might adapt those ideas into your own campus,” Motley said of the convention.

Convention members discussed electing delegates for the College Republican National Convention to be held later this year, HRC officials said. The HRC was honored with a super delegate position that will allow them to send an extra delegate to the convention.

Convention delegates also elected the new MACR executive board. Motley was chosen as Eastern Vice Chairman for 2007-2008.

With continued representation within the MACR executive board and recognition at the convention, the HRC has proven to be a model Republican campus organization, said the club’s president, Jeffrey Kwong ’09.

“I think it is clear to everyone, especially in the Republican community that HRC is alive,” Kwong said. “It’s kicking, and it’s growing.”