Former University of Kansas Student Body President David Awbrey delivered a speech at the Student Senate meeting on Sept. 9 about his experience as a journalist covering legislature, anecdotes of his career and being a student body president and this generation’s future with political challenges.
Awbrey graduated from KU in 1970 and served as student body president during the 1969-70 year. He worked as an editorial page editor of The Wichita Eagle until 2001 and covered the 1976 Jimmy Carter presidential campaign.
Between anecdotes about his career, Awbrey shared his thoughts and advice on political life. He said that the political climate 50 years ago while he was covering the 1976 campaign was not much different than today’s.
“Politics is politics,” Awbrey said. “Whatever the techniques are to get it.”
As former KU student body president, Awbrey said that student government is the best preparation for a career in politics.
“This is the best training,” Awbrey said. “Where you do have real power. You can really do things. So the stakes are real.”
Awbrey said that in the Student Senate it is essential to know how to use power, lose gracefully and understand people. When it comes to ...