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Running for Mayor of Washington, D.C., Dustin Canter ’07 is looking to make a difference in his beloved town. Community service has always played an important role in Dustin’s life, so public service should come as no surprise to those who know him.
“During a time of deep reflection on what I am investing my time in today that will impact my future, I thought a lot about community service, a core value to me,” he explains. “How do I take this important aspect and put it on a larger scale, a bigger platform? I focused on the word ‘service’ and public service came to mind. I decided to take it and convert that into my lifestyle in D.C.”
That time of reflection came to Dustin during a volunteer trip to South Africa, shortly after graduating from the University of Illinois.
“There, I surrounded myself with small-scale political experiences,” he recalls. “When the idea entered my mind to run for Mayor, it wasn’t a new way of thinking, but a realization that this was a position that I could do better than anyone in D.C., currently.”
Dustin has always had a passion for serving those around him. In fact, he became interested in public service as early as the fourth grade. After moving to a new school, Dustin sought out ways to make new friends, so he decided to run for class Vice President. From there, his interest in public service only grew.
“As a senior in high school, I was on the student government committee,” he says. “Right before graduation, we were in a meeting with the principal and was asked why I wasn’t the president. I remember that moment – a leader of our school was pointing out that I had the qualities necessary to lead people.”
Those skills were further enhanced by his membership in Delta Tau Delta, when he joined his sophomore year. But the benefits of being a Delt extend far beyond that.
“I initially had looked at business fraternities, but none of them seemed to have a solid social component in terms of comradery and sports interests,” he states. “Delta Tau Delta was recommended to me by a friend and we seemed to connect right away. It was the blend of academics, socializing, sports, and philanthropic efforts. As a student, [the fraternity] gave me a strong sense of brotherhood. There was always someone to bounce ideas off of, people to connect with on classes, and organize events to do on the weekends.”
As an Accountancy major, Dustin also recognizes that the fraternity played a critical role in his academic success.
“I had older brothers that had already experienced classes and teachers, which helped guide me,” he says. “Our fraternity was highly ranked in GPA. We had a bunch of smart guys, so good grades were expected. It represented us well among the other fraternities.”
For Dustin, his Delta Tau Delta experience didn’t end with graduation.
“I have a lot of brothers living in D.C., and we get together on a regular basis and share life experiences,” Dustin says. “The way we support each other demonstrates the empowerment of the brotherhood connection, extending far beyond our college years and job connections, but focusing on making sure all of our brothers are okay.”
In addition to the regular get-togethers, Dustin, along with his brothers Brian Looser ’05 and Patrick Coonan ’07, are heavily involved in the D.C. Illini alumni chapter. He also remains close to Luke Cleary ’09, collaborating with him on projects, even though Luke is currently residing in Seoul, South Korea.
Today, Dustin’s campaign runs on a platform of four core issues: Urban Development and Economics, Effective Solutions for Homelessness, City-wide Access to Healthful Foods, and Designing the Future of DC. To achieve his goals, Dustin hopes for the support of his brothers and has not been disappointed.
“I have brothers in both Illinois and D.C. that are monthly donors to my campaign—these guys are wanting to help,” he proudly states.
Finding support from both D.C. residents and his Delta Tau Delta brothers has been motivating to continue his work to improve the city he loves so much. And, he feels that his Delta Tau Delta brothers are capable of making a difference themselves, if they feel the call to do so.
“I would love to see more of my brothers run for office wherever they are living,” he says. “I am happy to help and give feedback on my experience.”
If Dustin’s experience is anything to go by, any brother who is considering public service should remember one important thing that Dustin is proud to have learned through this process.
“If you thought about it, go for it,” he says. “You have a brotherhood that will support you!”
To connect with Dustin or learn more about his campaign, he can be reached at (202) 670-1615, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dustin.canter.9, or his campaign website at www.dustinfordc.com.