You reached this page through the archive. Click here to return to the archive.

Note: This article is over a year old and information contained in it may no longer be accurate. Please use the contact information in the lower-left corner to verify any information in this article.

St. Olaf hosts talk by Republican Party veteran Eric Hoplin '01

By David Gonnerman '90
November 2, 2005

Eric Hoplin '01, deputy chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, presented "The Vocation of Party Politics" at St. Olaf College Nov. 3. His presentation is part of the "Politics as a Vocation" lecture series sponsored by the college's Lilly Vocation Grant, the Political Action Committee and the St. Olaf chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society.

HoplinOnCampus
Eric Hoplin met with St. Olaf College Republicans on numerous occasions during last year's campaign season.
Hoplin is former executive director and chair of the College Republican National Committee (CRNC), leading the 2001-02 field programs that added 401 new College Republican chapters across the country. The support of the College Republicans has been credited as a key factor in the 2002 Republican electoral sweep. Hoplin's work with CRNC and the Minnesota Republican Party has been featured in the Washington Post and The Economist, and on Fox News and CNN.

As a St. Olaf student Hoplin led the Minnesota College Republicans from 1999-01, making it one of the largest and most active state organizations in the College Republicans' 112-year history. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science and communications.

Future "Politics as a Vocation" events include Jim Meffort-Nelson '89, executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association, speaking on "The Vocation of Lobbying" Nov. 17; Jeanette Auguston '96 of the Minnesota Department of Human Services presenting "The Vocation of Government Service" Nov. 29; and "The Vocation of Diplomacy" presented Dec. 8 by Robert Flaten '56, retired ambassador to Rwanda.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.