Over the course of recent history, women have been progressively making their way into politics. The “Women on the Ballot” panel discussion, facilitated by the Public Policy Fund at Penn State Behrend, discussed this trend towards women being fully included in the political sphere.

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Three women were on the panel, including Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, political strategist and former Congressional candidate Erin McClelland, and former Congressional candidate and employee in the Obama White House as the Advisor to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson. Lena Surzhko-Harned, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science, moderated the discussion and posed questions to the three panelists. The panel discussion was followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

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One of the first questions asked about why each panelist ran for office. Dahlkemper and McClelland were both led to running through their careers, but Corbin-Johnson, the youngest on the panel at 27, talked more about how her childhood influenced her.

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“It was my background that motivated me to run for Congress,” explained Corbin-Johnson. She had been a child in the foster care system who ended up being able to see her biological family, and she was shaped by this experience. She also has a passion for people, explaining that a person should consider running for office, “if you actually love meeting people and having a genuine connection with people.”

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One of the next questions addressed what skills and experiences are most important for potential candidates, particularly focusing on being on the campaign trail.

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“You have to have a love for people,” said Corbin-Johnson. Dahlkemper agreed, and added, “You have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and do what’s necessary.” She also explained that someone who runs for office needs to be driven and able to survive long hours of work, but that they also need to be empathetic and be able to listen. “You have to have  that ability to understand a lot of people.”

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The discussion then turned to what was the hardest thing about running or what is something important to understand when running.

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“Surround yourself with people you can trust,” Dahlkemper emphasized. The other panelists expressed similar sentiments. “Recognize who you actually trust,” Corbin-Johnson said.

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McClelland also talked about the game of running for office, which often comes with people who are trying to get an upper hand. She said that, “getting oriented to the worst parts of this process and industry,” was one of the things she had to adjust to. However, she added, “I love the grind of it. I like how hard it is.”

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The discussion then changed to how women can become more involved in politics. Women have historically been underrepresented in positions of political power across the country.

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“More women can run,” said Dahlkemper. “I was shocked when I found out I was only the seventh woman in Pennsylvania to serve in the U.S. Congress.”

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“Fund them so they have the resources,” McClelland answered. She emphasized the importance of voting and becoming educated. She also discussed the importance of funding women candidates, as money is one of the most important parts of campaigning.

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“They need to believe that they can run.” said Corbin-Johnson. She said that women are just as capable of being elected, but simply do not run as often as men do.

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Overall, the event seemed well received by attendants, many stayed to talk to the panelists afterwards. The Public Policy Fund’s next event will, “Year of the Woman,” be on Thursday, November 8 in the Metzgar Center Lobby.