Ashley Lemke | Assistant News Co-Editor

Hanna Zinn, a third-year Buena Vista University student, met President Barack Obama last Monday at the National Guard Airbase in Des Moines, IA.

“I’ve always loved government and politics since I was a child,” Zinn said.

Several years ago, Zinn was offered a Page position in the Senate, where she made many valuable connections that led her to the opportunity to meet the President.

“It was the best six months of my life, I would go back and do it for free if they asked me,” Zinn said.

This was an important experience for Zinn because of her Political Science major and minor in Public Administration.

“While I was a Page in the Senate, I became friends with Dalton Schmit, an Intern for President Obama. One of Schmit’s duties is to do advance trips and events for the President. There was an event in Des Moines and he [Schmit] asked if I would want to meet the President. Who would turn down meeting the President regardless of what political party affiliation you have? It’s the President,” Zinn said.

Prior to the meeting, Zinn acquired special tickets to the select viewing area where she and fifteen others watched Airforce One land.

Zinn said the experience “humbled” her.

“I went into it thinking that people we elect to office are almost of a different class; they’re our version of royalty. When I met President Obama I was incredibly taken aback at how personable he was. It was incredibly humbling because he’s just a person, just a man who wanted to run for President,” Zinn said.

“You are a representative, as a politician, and you have an image that needs to be positive and give back to the community,” Zinn said. “I really hope that some day if I’m ever in office that I have that same gratefulness to the people that got me there.”

Zinn plans to get her Masters degree in Global Studies and use it to be a diplomat for those who can’t be for themselves.

“I tell people that I want world peace, it might be cliché, but it’s actually something I really want. I want to stand up and make a difference. It’s incredibly wrong that people from other countries live in fear for their lives. I want to fight for what is right.” Zinn said.

Having the opportunity to meet the President is “just another way that attests to BV students being incredibly involved and having great opportunities,” Zinn said.

“Students all over campus need to be aware of these type of events. I hope people seeing me do this makes them want to get involved in order to be informed. It is so incredibly important for people my age to be politically informed and active,” Zinn said.

This quote has stuck with Zinn throughout her life:

“Politics is the art of the possible.” — Otto Von Bismarck

“Politics can change the world. You can do whatever you want and that’s what makes it amazing and a huge opportunity,” Zinn said. “Who wouldn’t want to make a difference and change the world?”

Photo courtesy of Justice Gage