The annual Roosevelt-Kennedy Gala honored our donor, Harriet Young, for her lifetime of civic service to Arizona. Dr. Harriet Young was there to help start a long list of leaders in Arizona; Mayor Sara Presler, Mayor Coral Evans, Senator Ruben Gallego, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, and many others. Secretary Fontes was not able to attend, but sent a heartfelt video extending his love and gratitude for Harriet’s support. “I love you, Harriet” said Secretary Fontes. Dr. Young donated a table to the lab where she hosted six NAU students, including our lab assistants, Nayeli Leal and Emma Rial. Also representing NAU was Sarah Stuart, President of College Democrats, Joy Villavicencio, President of MEChA, Tamar Stern, former RDY Lab assistant and current intern with the Arizona State Legislature, and Simmona Ede, a star intern with Arizona List.
Harriet hosted the students for lunch earlier in the week to meet them and share stories of her times growing up in the South and her battles as the former Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. She encouraged them to run for office. “It’s so wonderful to see that Arizona’s future is in good hands,” Harriet told the students. Harriet’s lifetime of supporting young people who have a desire to serve their communities brought her to establish the Richard D. Young Endowment as a legacy to foster civic engagement and into the future of Arizona. The endowment supports the RDY Lab, which integrates motivated students into research projects that provide them with a foundation of skills they will take with them after they leave NAU.
Earlier in the academic year, Secretary Fontes visited NAU as the keynote speaker of our State of our Democracy event with Dr. Susan Stokes, the President of the American Political Science Association. The RDY Lab honored Harriet with a reception where Secretary Fontes gave a toast saluting her, sharing stories, and giving his thanks to Harriet for her lifetime of service.
