U.S. Senate Candidate Michelle Nunn ’85 Returns to NCS

NCS alumna Michelle Nunn ’85, currently running for the U.S. Senate as a Democratic candidate from Georgia, took time from her busy campaign schedule to speak to NCS students on April 30, 2014. Speaking in Procter Gym, where she once played basketball, Nunn said it looked largely the same as it did almost 30 years ago. Against a backdrop of hoops, she was introduced by her goddaughter, Perry Lum ’17, and interviewed by seniors Gabriella “Gabie” Drummond and Sarah Ing, before taking questions from the audience. Overall, the questions reflected students' curiosity about Nunn’s time at NCS, what it’s like to run for office, and her advice on how to succeed.
 
Nunn, who most recently was CEO of the nation’s largest volunteer organization, said she got her volunteering start at NCS by serving at a nursing home and at Martha’s Table.  “I found in it great meaning and a way of contributing, and I knew from an early age I wanted to do something service-oriented.” Nunn was the founding director of Hands On Atlanta, a nonprofit volunteer network which grew into the Hands On Network.   In 2007, the Hands On Network merged with the Points of Light Foundation, President George H.W. Bush's organization and legacy. After leading a successful merger, she became the CEO and president of Points of Light, now the largest organization in the country devoted to volunteer service, mobilizing over four million volunteers. (You can read more about Nunn's background here).

According to Nunn, Georgia has never had a woman as governor, in its congressional delegation, or in statewide office—and no Democratic senator since 1984. But there are now 20 women in the U.S. Senate, and she said, “We need more women in Senate because that seems to be how things are getting done.”
 
What’s the hardest thing about running for office? “It’s an extraordinary way of applying for a job.  It means putting yourself out there; it exposes you….But so much is at stake that is important for our future, issues like affordable college or a livable wage.  People’s lives are influenced by elections.” 
 
She also acknowledged that raising money one of the hard things about running for office.  She contrasted the experience of her father, Sam Nunn, who ran for Senate and won in 1972, in an era when you campaigned by visiting individual radio stations and a campaign cost less. Today, campaigns cost tens of millions, there are professional consultants, and mass communications and social media play a huge role.  
 
Asked about how she resists cynicism about the political process, Nunn said, “There are problems that can only be solved through the political system.  The real danger is cynicism and apathy.  The much braver and more effective strategy is to jump in.”  
 
What advice would she give to her 15-year-old self? “It would be to risk failure, to take the chance of looking foolish or not succeeding. High school should be a place to do that, but it can be a hard place to do that.  Practice taking the risk of failing by trying out for a team you might not make, or a play in which you might not get the part.  Get into the habit of pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, academically or otherwise.” She added, “I would also tell her to be kind. I have a 9 and 11-year-old, and above all I want them to be kind and good people.  Don't hold back your compassion and empathy.”
 
How to choose a career? Nunn told students, “Don't be too obsessed with what you're going to do. There’s an evolution to that.  Really relish the things that you're doing, follow things that create joy and where your gifts meet the world's needs.”
 
Her advice about how to succeed? “It’s pure old hard work and determination, and holding on to the belief that things are possible— the belief in your capacity to get things done you leave here [NCS] with.  If you hold the belief that you can change the world, hold that faith, anything is possible.”
 
Did an all-girls education set her up for success? “It’s a wonderful thing to have the kind of classmates you have in this setting.  I hope  it liberates people for risk-taking and sets you up with a sense of confidence.  It should instill the belief that each of you is uniquely powerful. My NCS experience, including playing on the basketball team and Voyageur, and the gift of academics, all set me up for success.
 
Several of Nunn’s former NCS classmates were in the audience, and she spoke about the power of the friendships created at NCS. “I am reaffirmed in my strong conviction that the best gifts from NCS are the friendships, the relationships that will literally last over decades.The school has changed enormously, but some things remain constant—the rigor of the academic environment, the solidarity and support from friends. It’s an environment that really did prepare me for the challenges ahead….I graduated with a group of extraordinary women with unique gifts.  Because everyone here is extraordinary, you may not recognize how unique you are.  I hope you graduate with sense of your own power and efficacy to do good in the world.”
 
 
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    • Senate candidate Michelle Nunn with students.

    • Michelle Nunn.

    • Nunn with her student interviewers.

    • Nunn (center) with former classmates, and Head of School Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson (second from left).

    • Students line up to ask their questions.