From UConn News

Since Barack Obama's landslide victory, Democrats have solidified their positions on Capitol Hill as well as in many cities across the country. It is obviously a good year to be a Democrat, but as Justin Rosen, CLAS '09 quips, “It's always a good year to be a Democrat.”

Undoubtedly it's a good year for Rosen, a CLAS political science major, who on January 5 became the youngest alderman of Milford, Conn., a city of more than 55,000 residents on the Long Island Sound.

At 21, Rosen was not intimidated by assuming the job of alderman. His predecessor, Barbara Lambert, ran a successful campaign for state representative, leaving her alderman position available. The Democratic Town Committee appointed Rosen to fill the seat.

“I worked closely with Barbara's last campaign, so when she left I saw the opportunity and thought, ‘Why not?'” Rosen says. “I saw it as an excellent opportunity to make a difference in my community.”

Rosen has been involved in other political campaigns since the 8 th grade, including the recent successful re-election bid by state Rep. Bryan Hurlburt (D-Tolland).

“I've put in the time and I know the job and the inner workings of the city,” Rosen says.

Now, in addition to exams and final papers, Rosen is passing ordinances, balancing a city budget, and keeping a good rapport with the constituents of Milford's 2 nd District.

This seems like a large load for one student to handle, but Rosen's not complaining.

“I manage,” Rosen says. “But the commute is not my favorite thing.”

Rosen, who lives off the Storrs campus in an apartment in Willington, has a little more than an hour's commute to Milford, about 70 miles away. Over a week Rosen spends $50 to $60 on gas, attending various committee meetings as well as his alderman meetings.

“On an average I am in Milford three to four nights a week,” Rosen says.

While completing the 10 months of Lambert's final term, Rosen's first official task as alderman is to establish a level of transparency by creating a website in order to post the city's budget online.

“The easier we make city information available the more informed the electorate will be,” Rosen says.

During the spring of '08, while completing an internship with Sutter's Mill Fund Raising, a congressional fund raising firm in Washington, DC, Rosen got the chance to meet the most famous Democrat of today.

“On my very last day my boss called me and told me that Obama was coming. We waited for an hour and a half in the rain just to shake his hand,” Rosen recalls, beaming from ear to ear. “It was my best day in Washington!”

Like the president, Rosen will face a tough year in office due to the state of the economy. Rosen will be faced with difficult decisions while managing the city's budget.

“This will be the hardest budget we've seen in a while. We need to see what we've been spending money on in order to see what will be cut in the future,” Rosen says.

For now Rosen has time to enjoy his new-found fame. His father attended the Board of Aldermen meeting where he was sworn in, while his family, including four younger siblings, watched the broadcast on the local television station.

When asked how his family reacted to his new position, Rosen says they love it and that the younger ones are catching on to his new celebrity.

“The local papers have been good at coverage so they're getting the hint. They love to see me in the paper,” Rosen says.

On campus in Storrs, students and teachers are excited for Rosen as well. Unfortunately Rosen wasn't able to live every student's dream of being in a position of power over one of his professors.

“None of my professors is a constituent,” Rosen says with dismay. “I have one of my old teachers from back home though, and he's a great supporter, but (having a professor) -- that would have been sweet.” --

UConn, Eunice Omega, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ‘10