<p>Two Franklin College students set aside political differences to co-found a bipartisan group aimed at discussing politics in a civil, educational environment.</p><p>In the fall, Griffin Reid, a Republican, and Samantha Roberts, a Democrat, started FC Across the Aisle. In today’s political climate, discussions can lead to raised voices and hurt feelings. Roberts said the FCAA emphasizes respect and that it takes dialogue to have a discussion. Within that dialogue, all opinions must be respected. The FCAA’s mission is to bring persons together, not create divisiveness.</p><p>The two graduate on Saturday, but both are confident the FCAA will continue.</p><p>“Basically it’s a political platform for bipartisanship communication going through students, as well as activism and hopefully some networking opportunities,” Roberts said. “Franklin College has a pretty long history of students trying to create a platform for political discussion. Unfortunately, most of those organizations disbanded.”</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>The group meets weekly, and promotes efforts to get students involved, such as registering students to vote and providing information on the candidates.</p><p>Reid and Roberts began putting the word out about the FCAA last school year, drawing 20 students to the first meeting.</p><p>Reid is president of the Republicans; Roberts carries the same title for Democrats. Allison Fetter-Harrott and Randall Smith are the club’s faculty advisors.</p><p>“Originally, I interned with the Republican Party. They have a target list of schools they want to be on, and Franklin College was one of them,” Reid said. “They’ve been talking to me about starting a Republicans chapter. I was already involved in other organizations and didn’t want to start it."</p><p>Reid talked to Fetter-Harrott, who raised the idea of making a political activist organization that included both Republicans and Democrats.</p><p>He was interested, and including Roberts immediately came to mind. The two had been in student congress together as sophomores, as well as various political science classes.</p><p>“FCAA and the members within it understands you are never going to change someone’s opinion. Rather, you’re informing them of yours,” Roberts said. “When we do have our discussions, it is fairly balanced with respect. No one is going after each other’s personal views or thoughts.”</p><p>Roberts is serving a legislative internship for the Indiana Senate in downtown Indianapolis until August or September. She is passionate about women’s health and the environment, and would like to work in government affairs for a not-for-profit organization such as Planned Parenthood.</p><p>“I know what feeling I want to have when I get older, and that is I want to wake up every day being happy.</p><p>“My father told me that’s extremely important as you get older. Where that means I end up I don’t know. I do know I’m not going to limit myself.”</p><p>Reid has been accepted into Indiana University’s School of Public Policy and begins his pursuit of a master’s degree. He would like to return to Franklin College in the years ahead and see that the organization is still a vehicle for intelligent political discussion.</p><p>“This year was more about getting it established. We have a decent unit of people that are doing it now, and a lot of them taking over leadership roles are only sophomores. They have another two years left,” Reid said. “I’m hoping next year and so on, they find ways to expand and get a bigger presence on campus.</p><p>“We make it clear to the people in our organization that we’re not there to deliver a specific message. We’re not there to convince them to vote for anybody or to think a certain way.”</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="The Roberts file" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Name: Samantha Roberts</p><p>Age: 22</p><p>Born: Bloomington</p><p>Family: Parents Scott and Julie; sister Alexis, 26</p><p>High school: Edgewood H.S. (2015)</p><p>College: Graduates from Franklin College on Saturday</p><p>Majors: Political science and religious studies</p><p>GPA: 3.2</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="The Reid file" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Name: Griffin Reid</p><p>Age: 22</p><p>Born: Indianapolis</p><p>Family: Parents Joe and Ruthie; sisters Kate Rose Tolley, 33, Amber Reid, 30, Mary Reid, 26; brothers Charlie Tolley, 31, Joey Reid, 28.</p><p>High school: Shelbyville H.S. (2015)</p><p>College: Graduates from Franklin College on Saturday</p><p>Majors: History and political science</p><p>GPA: 3.59</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Franklin College 2019 Commencement</strong></p><p>When: 10 a.m. Saturday</p><p>Where: Spurlock Center Gymnasium on campus</p><p>Speakers: The keynote speaker is Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group and Cook Medical in Bloomington. Yonkman also will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters from the college. Jefferson W. Brougher, founder of Brougher Agency, Brougher Insurance Group and International Medical Group, will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during the ceremony.</p><p>Tickets: Graduates received tickets to give to family and friends. People without a ticket can watch the ceremony on a live stream in the Richardson Chapel.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="At a glance" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Here’s a look at the Franklin College Class of 2019</strong></p><p>Undergraduate degrees conferred: 222</p><p>Graduate degrees conferred: 14</p><p>Graduates from Indiana: 216</p><p>Graduates from other states: 18</p><p>International students: 2</p><p>Top five majors: Business, psychology, exercise science, sociology and sociology/criminology, education</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
