STORY BY JESSIE SPANGLER
The Yahoo Conference on Technology and Politics last Thursday brought some big names like Sen. Rand Paul, “Orange is the New Black” actress Diane Guerrero, and David Pogue, the Vice President of Yahoo Tech, to Parents Hall.
“As a journalism student, it was very exciting to be around these big media names,” first-year Andy Orton said. “It gave me a chance to learn from experts who are very successful in their fields.”
The conference focused on the impact that technology has on politics.
PHOTO BY CASSANDRA BAUER | PHOTO EDITOR
In the last session, Morgan DeBaun, CEO and founder of Blavity, Jamal Simmons, co-founder and CEO of CRVIII, Inc., and Guerrero discussed how race and technology have started to play a bigger part in politics .
“This was a good opportunity because you don’t get many chances to meet executive producers and various celebrities,” Orton said. “It was important to hear their point of view on political topics and their experiences with being minorities.”
Besides providing opportunities to students, the conference was informative and brought national attention to Drake.
Associate professor of Politics Rachel Paine Caufield played a role in getting the conference here and said Yahoo News had nothing but praise.
“They loved working with students and students loved working with them,” Caufield said.
The conference gave students an opportunity to meet leaders in the technology and politics field not only at the conference, but outside as well.
“They brought their talent into the classrooms. A number of their top talent was having dinner with students at Hubbell and going to classes, which is an amazing opportunity,” Caufield said.
If you missed it, the sessions from the conference are online at yahoodigitaldemocracy.tumblr.com.
