By Matt Pramas

Staff Writer

As the semester nears its stressful end, students at St. Michael’s College are reminded that beyond homework, we still have four classes and extracurricular activities to attend. But Denny Ruprecht, ’21, does more than that.

Ruprecht was just elected as a state representative for New Hampshire. “It’s mentally and emotionally taxing being present and mindful at school while having the responsibility of a state Rep,” he said in a phone interview.

Growing up in the blue-collar town of Bath, Ruprecht quickly learned the value of hard work. His dad died young, forcing Ruprecht’s mother to work several jobs. He helped make ends meet beginning at the age of 9 working at a local general store owned by family friends.

“Growing up I never really thought anything I did was hard work, it was just what you did and it speaks to where I’m from,” Ruprech said.

Inspired by his mother’s work ethic and political involvement, he got a sense of realpolitik and the importance of political activism, but it was the 2008 presidential election that sparked his political flame.

Ruprecht also worked for the Sanders campaign in 2016 and said in a college news article, “I’m more moderate than Bernie, but what I really respected about him was his call for others to get involved, and I really heeded that call.”

As a political science major, Ruprecht understands the challenges of being a student. He has taken what he has learned to run a successful campaign, to give back to his community.

“It’s about persistence because some of it is hard work, some of it is luck and some of it is the friends I made,” Ruprecht said. “The stars just aligned.”

Ruprecht may take some time off from school to focus on his political career, but his dedication to hard work applies to more than just politics. For him, it’s about rolling with the punches and being flexible. And that’s something every student can be inspired by.