Should there be a National Primary Election Day? With Political Science Professor Robert Boatright
While there are national "get out the vote" campaigns for general elections in the U.S., primary elections don't see any of that same energy. In fact, only about 20% of the American electorate votes in primaries.
"From the perspective of political parties, there is a belief that competition in primaries is bad. Parties tend to want to choose their nominees without the fuss of having a primary at all, so you'll see parties trying to clear the field before the primary happens, or parties taking other steps to try to ensure that there's a lack of competition," says Political Science Professor Robert Boatright. "In a way, you can't blame people for not voting, because they're often not encouraged to vote at all in their primaries."
Primaries are the subject of Boatright's latest book, "The Problem with Primary Voters," co-authored with Caroline Tolbert and Nathan K. Micatka. On this episode of Challenge. Change., Boatright explains primary trends and offers a case for establishing a national primary day.
19 Aug 2026
Exploring Campus, Exploring Worcester, and Exploring Yourself with Dean of Students Danielle Morgan Acosta and Hannah Oh '27
Being a first-year college student comes with a lot of questions: What clubs should I join? What's the best way to make friends? How do I find my way around campus and Worcester? On this episode of Challenge. Change., Assistant Provost of Student Success and Dean of Students Danielle Morgan Acosta (https://www.clarku.edu/success/people/danielle-morgan-acosta/) ’05, MAT ’06, and Hannah Oh '27, CDP '28, offer their best advice for navigating the transition to college.
"When I first came to campus, because I was so homesick, I kept pushing myself into that hole of, 'I just want to do what's comfortable for myself.' But the shift that I experienced of actually feeling like Clark is another home for me was when I started trying more difficult things and going outside of my comfort zone," recalls Oh, who majors in biochemistry and molecular biology (https://www.clarku.edu/programs/major/biochemistry-and-molecular-biology-bs/), minors in health, science and society (https://www.clarku.edu/programs/major/health-science-society-ba/), has a concentration in ethics and public policy (https://www.clarku.edu/programs/concentration/ethics-and-public-policy/), and is part of the Prehealth Advising Program (https://www.clarku.edu/departments/prehealth/).
Acosta encourages students to routinely expand their horizons as they get acclimated to life at Clark.
"Transition is a psychological process, and it takes time," she says. "Absorb feeling okay in the uncomfortability, because that is growth and learning, and there are good things that come from it ... I challenge every student to do one thing that's different or outside of their comfort zone every week if they can."
Challenge. Change. is produced by Melissa Hanson for Clark University. Listen and subscribe on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuYAjq1d3Hq45cjwxoCNL?si=50399113fe324705) or Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/challenge-change/id1608025510). Find other episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.
21 May 2026
Sounds of Clark University Commencement 2026
On this episode of Challenge. Change., relive the highlights of Commencement 2026, held on Monday, May 18, at the DCU Center in Worcester.
Commencement speakers — including renowned astrophysicist and University of Chicago Professor Wendy L. Freedman; Sir Andrew Steer, one of the world’s foremost climate experts; Board of Trustees chair Roy DiNicola '90; William Stafford '26; and Nourhan Beshir Attia, M.S. '26 — noted the challenges that graduates, and the rest of the world, will face in the coming years, climate change chief among them. But they also underscored the importance of determination and confidence.
Challenge. Change. is produced by Melissa Hanson for Clark University. Listen and subscribe on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuYAjq1d3Hq45cjwxoCNL) or Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/challenge-change/id1608025510). Find other episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.
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