Larry K. Hailsham, ’15, has been appointed to the position of executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, as announced on Oct. 1. Hailsham previously worked as the senior director of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2022 gubernatorial race, as well as the Pennsylvania political director for the 2020 Biden for President campaign.
Hailsham, who majored in political science during his time at Allegheny, said he was optimistic about the future of the Democratic Party in a recent statement posted to PADems.org. The statement also included testimony from Shapiro and Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Eugene DePasquale speaking to Hailsham’s experience and commitment to the issues facing Pennsylvania today.
“I am honored to step into this role and continue working to build up our party and elect Democrats up and down the ballot in order to keep Pennsylvania moving forward,” Hailsham said in the statement. “In this moment our Commonwealth and our country are facing, it is critically important that we show up, fight for our values, and win — and for us to get the job done.”
While at Allegheny, Hailsham was heavily involved with extracurricular activities. He was a Bonner Scholar and worked with nonprofit organizations in Crawford County, teaching him the importance of being of service to the community he found himself in. He was also the Allegheny Student Government president for two terms and worked to bring the voices and concerns of students to the college administration. In addition, he served as the Delta Tau Delta philanthropy and recruitment chair, and was an intern with Teach For America and an intern at the White House under the Obama administration.
“I would say that all of my activities in aggregate were so integral in me understanding my place to impact our community in a positive way,” Hailsham said. “I can’t think of one specific thing that I can credit to everything; I think the beauty of Allegheny is, if you approach it with an open mind, there are so many different opportunities.”
Hailsham was also involved with the Center of Political Participation, which advocates for nonpartisan civic engagement, education and research on campus. The CPP has a variety of different programs and opportunities for students to become politically involved in terms of research, learning experiences, and community partnerships for voter registration and fostering dialogue. Expanding his worldview and connecting him with these opportunities were some of the ways Hailsham was able to envision his future in politics and serving the people around him.
During Blue & Gold Weekend, Hailsham visited campus and spoke on a panel curated for political science students.
“I think that spaces like that are so important for us to be able to discuss not only our issues but how we move forward and different perspectives on how to move forward,” Hailsham said, referencing the panel. “I enjoyed coming back to campus to talk to students about my work.”
Associate Professor of Political Science Andrew Bloeser, who is also the director of the CPP, remembered Hailsham as being heavily involved with community service and being a strong voice for the student population.
“He held the office of student government for two consecutive years, and he’s been the only student in my time here who’s done that.” Bloeser said. “When I remember meeting Larry in my first few years on campus, I had occasion to be in rooms where Larry was present, where senior-level college administrators were present, where faculty were present, and when it came to the business that Larry was doing as the president of student government, he came very well prepared, very well organized. He was someone who was very thoughtful.”
Bloeser recognized that some students may feel intimidated or doubtful of their own capabilities when meeting with faculty or administrators. He points to Hailsham as an example of how to carry yourself as a student in a professional environment.
“He was someone who, when he was in those rooms, even though when he was still a student here, he had credibility that is rare for students to achieve during their time here,” Bloeser said.
Hailsham is excited about not only what his future will bring him as the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, but also about furthering his commitment to public service. He continues to carry the lessons he learned from Allegheny in the classrooms he’s been in, during the internships he’s been a part of and the conversations he helped shape to educate himself and the people around him.
“I had so many different opportunities to think about how I can be of service to others, and I think that that is the Allegheny spirit,” Hailsham said. “That is something I take in my day-to-day, every single opportunity to do that.”
