Berry College senior Elliott Echols is hitting the campaign trail for the Republican Party this summer and fall.

Echols, of Rome, Ga., was offered the opportunity to lead a group of 60 campaign workers and field directors from Washington D.C. to target areas around the nation for the GOP youth vote. His official title will be Political Director for the College Republican National Committee. Echols will put college on hold this fall to be a part of campaign coordinating efforts to raise the youth vote and train workers in the field.

“This is my first big step in politics,” said Echols, who is the Chairman Emeritus of the Georgia Association of College Republicans, one of the largest state federations in the nation and the most active during the 2010 election cycle. “I’ve been working on some campaigns in Rome with Congressman Tom Graves and a few others, but this is bigger than I ever imagined. I’m handling a large budget and working with a lot of people, some much older than me.”

Echols, an economics major, will begin work this month preparing a plan of action and implementing it with leaders around the country. He will return to Berry in the spring to finish school and graduate with his class.

“Berry has been great for me and graduating college has always been a dream of mine since I’ll be the first person in my immediate family to do so, so it’s still my number one priority,” he said.

Echols is the son of David and Pam Echols, of Calhoun, Ga. The Darlington School graduate is also involved with the Floyd County Republican Party and has been selected to go to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

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