International relations senior Michael Mersol-Barg talks with Rep. Fred Miller, D-Macomb, after a Michigan delegation breakfast Tuesday in Broomfield, Colo. “It’s exciting to be in the midst of history,” Mersol-Barg said. He is staying at the University of Colorado at Boulder with members of the College Democrats of America for the Democratic National Convention and the College Democrats National Convention.
Denver — Michael Mersol-Barg has arrived on the national political stage at the Democratic National Convention.
Mersol-Barg, an international relations senior, is wearing several hats this week as one of about 10 Michigan delegates at the College Democrats of America convention.
In between voting on the association’s platform and representing several state and campus organizations, Mersol-Barg is schmoozing with the state’s most prominent political names and working for the national Obama-Biden campaign.
At state events, name recognition isn’t a problem for Mersol-Barg — he knows the names of all 38 state senators and most of the 110 state representatives. He ran ragged during the College Democrats of America convention, all while mixing in tours of the downtown and a concert featuring Sheryl Crow and Dave Matthews Band.
“You never know what’s going to happen, or when it’s going to happen, or how it’s going to happen,” he said. “Everything is happening all at once, and it’s just chaos. But it’s good chaos.”
Late last week, Mersol-Barg braved a 27-hour Amtrak ride through the dull central Plains and eight hours of sleep during three “miserable” days, to get to the Democrats’ largest rally in 2008.
“I realized I’m not going to get this opportunity for another four years, so I figured I should take advantage of it now,” he said. “To sort of a political wonk like myself, this is like the Super Bowl, so this is a must-see.”
Back in East Lansing, Mersol-Barg is secretary for the MSU College Democrats, executive director for the MSU Progressives and a member of the Michigan Federation of College Democrats’ executive board.
“I can’t even keep up with all of the things he’s into,” his sister, Amy Mersol-Barg, said. “There’s always some other position or some new campaign he’s getting fired up about.”
Mersol-Barg serves as the sole liaison between MSU Democrats and the Michigan Federation of College Democrats, which works with Michigan’s Democratic organizations on campus. In Denver, he is pushing higher education and voter accessibility for youth with the federation.
“Having people like (Michael) on campuses makes our job a whole lot easier,” said Chris Stergalas, president of the federation and a junior at University of Michigan-Dearborn. “There’s nobody better to be a liaison than someone directly on campus.”
Becoming involved with politics was almost a given for Mersol-Barg, considering his family’s interest in politics — his mother, Mary Jo Mersol-Barg, watches C-SPAN for fun.
Mersol-Barg will return to MSU later this week after missing the first week of classes. His professors, with the exception of a French teacher following academic protocol, were accommodating and worked around Mersol-Barg’s absence this week.
He aspires to become a diplomat or involved in finances but admits “I’m one of those people who wants to do everything and do it before I’m 30.”
For now, Mersol-Barg will finish his tour this week and looks forward to attending the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
“I’m hoping to gain a lot of great insight and ideas and hopefully be able to report back on all of the exciting things that are happening here in Denver,” he said.
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