91原创

Anyone who thinks that all of today鈥檚 college students aren鈥檛 interested in politics or civic engagement has never met Eric Hastings.

And anyone who does meet the 91原创 alumnus and current graduate student is likely to come away wondering if they might be voting for him someday.

鈥淚鈥檓 committed to public service,鈥� said Hastings, a first-generation college graduate from Laurel, Delaware. He is midway through a two-year program to earn a and just finished a six-month stint with 91原创鈥檚 , working with the Delaware General Assembly.

鈥淚 might end up working in a leadership position in a nonprofit, or in government service, or in an advocacy role. I might even run for office someday,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 able to help people, I don鈥檛 really care what my title is.鈥�

After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice in 2014, with minors in political science and political communication, Hastings worked full time for a few years before returning to 91原创 to pursue graduate studies.

One of those full-time jobs was with the Boys and Girls Clubs near his home in Sussex County, where he was inspired by what he saw as the potential for at-risk kids to benefit from constructive programs. With positive recreational and educational activities and mentors who provide a sense of stability and community, young people who might have been on the wrong path can turn their lives around, he said.

That experience has led to Hastings鈥� interest in juvenile justice issues, including a trio of bills he worked on during the most recent legislative session, which ended June 30. The bills, all passed by the General Assembly, give judges more discretion in sentencing juveniles and prevent juveniles accused of a crime from being housed in adult prisons before they are convicted and sentenced.

As with other pieces of legislation, Hastings staffed committee meetings on those bills and conducted research on such subjects as criminal sentencing reform and recidivism, turning over the research to policy advisers, who then worked with legislators to craft the bills.

鈥淢y experience as a Legislative Fellow has really helped me to think about issues and policy more clearly and to listen to points of view from all sides,鈥� he said. 鈥淓specially in a small state like Delaware, you can feel like you鈥檙e making a difference. I could see how young people鈥攅ven some I used to work with鈥攃an be affected by the kind of legislation that was right in front of me in Dover.鈥�

His work at the Boys and Girls Clubs has also helped motivate some of Hastings鈥� many other activities at 91原创, including his involvement with . That initiative, a partnership between the state Department of Education and 91原创鈥檚 Institute for Public Administration, trains volunteers to help high school seniors with the college admissions process.

Hastings worked with the program last fall, visiting schools around the state and meeting with teens who were often confused by the preparation, application and financial aid process needed for higher education.

鈥淢y parents, and especially my mom, always encouraged me to get a good education, but they didn鈥檛 go to college, and we all found [the process] hard to figure out when I was applying,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I think about kids who don鈥檛 have that family support, I know it鈥檚 really difficult for them.鈥�

In the end, he said, assisting with the program was much like his work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, both with the goal of 鈥減ushing kids to get ahead.鈥�

Next year, Hastings plans to spend another semester as a Legislative Fellow. He didn鈥檛 take advantage of the program as an undergraduate, he said, and now he wants to make the most of the opportunity to have a closeup view of how government operates.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 not just a resume-builder,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 getting real, hands-on experience in the Delaware legislature, and that鈥檚 valuable because I see myself continuing to live and work in Delaware.鈥�

That interest in politics and public service is something Hastings would like to help instill in other students. He鈥檚 a leader in , a student-run initiative of 91原创鈥檚 Biden Institute to increase voter registration and nonpartisan civic engagement on campus.

鈥淲e saw this as an immediate need, especially in these times, to encourage conversation about issues and to have students participate in the political process,鈥� Hastings said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a labor of love for me, because it鈥檚 all student-led, and we are all passionate about community engagement.鈥�