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The Dartmouth
July 9, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Cowan promotes action, not apathy

Last night, Jon Cowan '87 returned to his alma mater to recap his battle plan in the war against apathy among twentysomethings -- and to try to gain some recruits along the way.

About 100 people, mostly students, crowded into the Hinman Forum of the Rockefeller Center for the Social Sciences to listen to Cowan, the co-founder and president of Lead or Leave.

Lead or Leave, according to Cowan, is the largest advocacy organization for college students in America, currently boasting nearly 1 million student members. He said his organization provides a voice for young Americans.

Cowan spoke on the attitudes of today's younger generation towards politics in a lecture titled, "Apathy to Action: How Our Generation Can Change America."

"My shtick is getting young people involved in politics," said Cowan, introducing himself.

Cowan said he thought of the idea for the organization while he was working on Capitol Hill in August of 1992.

While he and some of his friends were in a bar in Washington, D.C., one night complaining about how little a difference they were making in politics, they agreed to try to make a change.

"We decided to stop whining and get off our butts," Cowan said.

Cowan said Lead or Leave's first major effort came about during the 1992 elections, when the group asked the congressional candidates to take the "deficit pledge," a promise to reduce the federal budget deficit by one-half or not seek reelection.

According to Cowan, about 100 candidates took the pledge.

This project received a great deal of media attention, including recognition from 1992 presidential candidate Ross Perot during a presidential debate.

"It kind of skyrocketed from there and an organization grew out of it," said Cowan.

Besides founding Lead or Leave, Cowan has also used the might of the pen to fight apathy by publishing a book, "Revolution X: A Survival Guide for Our Generation."

Cowan spoke briefly about his years at Dartmouth and how they affected his views on politics.

"I want to say I was totally juiced up, ready to go out and run for Congress, but I felt disconnected from real-world politics when on campus," he said.

He encouraged Dartmouth students to get involved in politics and suggested a student-run "Democracy on Campus" program to raise awareness of political issues during the New Hampshire primaries through speakers and forums.

Cowan discussed the importance of the younger generation's impact on politics and how such issues as the national debt and social security would affect it in the future.

He noted three unique legacies of the younger generation: its willingness to discuss matters frankly, its diversity that allows different perspectives and greater understanding, and today's technology that can provide better communication.

He also stressed the need for universities to bring politics back to their campuses. He urged students to take the initiative and get involved with politics.

"The first step in getting involved is to give a shit," he said. "You have to become politically literate to get involved and care."

Cowan also talked about the relationship between politicians and today's younger generation.

He attacked politicians who engage in behavior that disengages younger voters from the political process.

"Money totally drives politics today. The best politicians are the best fund-raisers. That is fundamentally flawed," he said. "Maybe some good people will squeak through, but that's pretty rare."

But Cowan reminded the audience of the younger generations need to be flexible in dealing with politics.

"The system itself is basically all right. At the core, the system is the right system," he said. "Sometimes we need to change our beliefs, until you change your beliefs nothing else changes."

Cowan advised the audience to follow their dreams and said, "When you get out of this school, if you want something, go after it," he said.

When Cowan asked audience members what issues they thought were important, one student suggested the funding of higher education.

Cowan agreed and said, "Higher education is one of the best investments our country can make."

Cowan's lecture was the second in a series of programs developed by several Dartmouth students at the Center for American Women in Politics.

"I think we felt strongly that students needed to understand that it was possible for them to make changes, regardless of what those changes were and to let them know the different avenues of change available," said Miranda Johnson '97, one of the students involved with setting up the lecture.

Rebecca Walker, co-founder and president of Third Wave, and daughter of "The Color Purple" author Alice Walker, was also scheduled to speak, but was unable to attend. Johnson said Walker may come speak in about two weeks.

The Third Wave seeks to include low-income people and minorities in the voting and political process.

The lecture was sponsored by a number of organizations including the NEW Leadership Project, the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center, the McSpadden Public Issues Fund, the Women's Resource Center, the Afro-American Society, the Tucker Foundation, the Women's Studies Program, the Government Department, the International Students Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Delta Delta Delta Sorority.