Meet the student behind the ‘Ellen for Commencement 2017’ campaign
‘We need someone to welcome us to the real world and to tell us to just keep swimming’
One of the greatest moments in Rutgers history was the day Barack Obama gave a commencement speech in 2016 to the 250th class in his last year as POTUS. The big question remaining is, how will Rutgers ever get someone as cool? Kayla Brantley, a senior studying Journalism and Media Studies believes she has the answer: Ellen DeGeneres.
“I started the campaign to get Ellen DeGeneres to come to Rutgers because I believe it is kind of everything Rutgers models after. She’s a humanitarian, she raises awareness about a lot of different causes, she’s an advocate for LGBTQ, and she’s all about fairness, bring people together and peace and love,” says Brantley.
Brantley went on to explain that Ellen believes in unifying people and the student body needs that right now. “There’s a lot of hate going around right now and she’s the person we need to remind us that we need to be kind to one another,” she said.
There are six students who are currently the core of this campaign and they’ve been writing letters and making requests to Ellen non-stop through her website. Brantley and her board have been heavily encouraging their own friends and fellow students to spread the word in their Facebook page ‘Ellen for Rutgers 2017.’
“Our biggest thing is that we want to create a video, of anyone who wants to be in the video and as many organizations as possible. I have fraternities involved and I want to hang signs in front of their houses similar to the ‘Save the Alley’ campaign.” Brantley said that although they have a growing list of organizations who are going to be involved, “the more the merrier.” The end goal is to have as many people as possible on the football field spelling out the word ‘Ellen’ with their bodies.
One thing that has become a bit of a road block for Brantley is that nominations for commencement must be submitted the year before, and her campaign started in the summer. The administration requires nominations to be submitted the year before so that they can immediately begin coordinating with the speaker. “If there’s one thing Rutgers has taught me, it’s to follow what you’re passionate about so I know once Ellen sees and hears our message, she will come,” Brantley said.
“We need to let Ellen know how much we want her and why. Once the video reaches her, she will want to come.” Brantley emphasized that anyone who wants to get involved with the video or the overall campaign can message her through the Facebook group. “I want everyone to spread the word as much as possible across all social media platforms,” she noted.
Brantley expressed, “I hope that she comes to commencement and brings her charm, her comedy, and that she brings a message of hope; and although it seems like we’re falling apart, we need to stand together now more than ever. We need someone to welcome us to the real world and to tell us to just keep swimming.”