The NextGen organization sent two ISU students to Las Vegas last week to participate in the Democratic debate.

NextGen, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to inserting climate change into Iowa politics, sent Lauren Engley, senior in animal science, and Sierra Ballard, sophomore in pre-business, to Las Vegas to watch the Democratic debate. Both active members of the on-campus organization went to share their views on climate change while sporting NextGen shirts. 

“[NextGen] is a national organization, and they called Iowa State and said that they had two extra tickets and got to send two of us,” said Engley, president of NextGen on campus.

Since NextGen is nonpartisan, Ballard and Engley did not support any specific candidate at the debate and instead listened for plans candidates have for climate change and shared their message.

“It was a really good first experience into the political world,” Engley said. “I really feel like I got involved for the first time.” 

Tessa Lengeling, press secretary for NextGen, explained that as an organization, NextGen promotes 50 by 30, meaning it wants 50 percent clean energy by 2030. NextGen has been active on campus since 2014 and has been an organization since 2013.

“We are the next generation,” Lengeling said.

NextGen’s main goal is to call on candidates from both sides to create an energy plan that fits in with what NextGen promotes.

“I think it’s great for them to have their voices heard,” Lengeling said.

Engley and Ballard were also invited to attend some of the post parties that followed the debate.

“We got to stay in the hotel right there where the debate was,” Engley said. “There were rallies and we got to be there in our NextGen outfits.”

NextGen has bi-weekly meetings and hosts events throughout the year. This Friday, NextGen will host a documentary viewing.

“We have been organizing at Iowa State more heavily this year, just when the students got back in session,” Lengeling said.