Marc Stad '01 reached the top rung of the nation's College Democratic hierarchy last week, winning the presidency of the College Democrats of America (CDA), National Council.

During a conference call last week with all council members, Stad and his opponent, Nate Spoulton of Iowa's Simpson College, faced off with two four-minute speeches. Following the speeches, Stad was elected by a three-vote margin.

Other members of the national council--many of who only recently met Stad at the CDA's national conference or the Democratic National Convention--already praise his vision and ability to work with others.

"I think his role is most important in states where the CDA presence is not very strong," said Amanda Stitt, president of the Michigan chapter. "Pairing up weak states with strong ones is something he's already talked about."

Stad said he realizes that it may be difficult for college Democratic organizations to develop on their own.

"In the less established states, the question is, 'How do you mobilize students to go door to door?'" he said. "How do you get recognized by the state leaders?"

Stitt said that with only 28 states represented on the national council, Stad realizes that it is important to reach out to those who have not joined with the national organization.

Stad said that in his mind the CDA should have a broad range of goals.

"It is as little as getting peers out registering to vote, to teaching them that apathy and cynicism will get them nowhere in politics and that if less people are interested there will be fewer qualified candidates in the future," he said.

Stad's new position is one of the top jobs in the CDA, and one devoted to local efforts, he said.

"My job is more at the bottom, figuring out how we get things done at the state level," he said.

Because Harvard's chapter was already one of the strongest in the country, Stad said he felt he could make a contribution at a higher level.

In April he ran for president of the Massachusetts College Democrats and won. Over the summer he decided he wanted to run for the presidency of the national council.

Stad's Harvard predecessor, Joseph N. Sanberg '01, was also president of both the national council and the state chapter.

Stad said he is excited about the potential of his job and the implications of his work.

"One, politicians begin to court the young; education, gun control, homelessness and gay rights gain prominence," he said. "Two, students get interested so they become politically educated And three, some students become politicians fighting for the important issues."

In this election year the national council has already planned out a general strategy.

"We've put a priority on working in the key states for the presidential race," Stad said. "In other states where we look good, the goal is in small races."