Community and conservatism are two values protected by the College Republicans chapter at Colorado State University, a group made up of people who partake in discourse, activities and local campaigns based on their principles.

“The mission of College Republicans is to have an outlet for those who are like-minded to meet new people and have debate,” said Kristen Horodyski, the chapter’s vice president. “A part of our mission is to be involved, help others get involved in elections and vote no matter who you are voting for.”

Aside from holding regular meetings, the College Republicans have hosted local politicians including Peter Yu, Sean Dougherty and Angela Myers.

The College Republicans have also held events such as shooting range days, have partaken in events such as the Lincoln Day Dinner and regularly hold tabling events at the Lory Student Center Plaza.

There are approximately 125 people signed up for the College Republicans on RamLink and 500 people included on the group’s email chain.

“It’s a way to meet people who believe the same things and have the same values,” said Veronica Morin, the chapter’s president. “It’s a way to spread conservative values to students and dispel myths that a lot of people might think about Republicans, or teach some things that might be good and helpful for society.”

Morin said the CSU chapter of College Republicans has the ability to focus on elections during election years, something other conservative groups can’t do as much because they’re either nonpartisan or have other limitations.

A junior business management major, Morin has been involved with College Republicans for two years. She said her responsibility as president is to deal with administrative efforts such as booking rooms, contacting candidates and speakers and deciding upon the culture of the group.

“It’s incredible how many doors College Republicans has been able to open up,” Morin said. “It’s really cool being able to have a little bit of pull in different things.”

As president, Morin said she looks to maintain a respectful environment both within and outside the group.

“On a lot of different campuses, the culture matters so much,” Morin said. “A lot of times it can be hostile or angry. I want it to be a very respectful culture in the club, making sure everyone is respectful and that we’re putting out the right message about who we are as a group.”

Horodyski is a junior double majoring in accounting and political science. She has served as vice president of College Republicans since January 2018. As a member of a Republican community and a firm believer in the Constitution, Horodyski said being a part of College Republicans means she can meet people who are also Republicans and learn from them.

“Having a Republican community has meant a lot to me in the last year,” Horodyski said. “On campus, we are often silenced or assumed there are not very many of us. I love the fact that our chapter allows others to know that there are other Republicans out there and it is OK to be a Republican on campus despite social media or the overall presence on campus as a college student.”

Lizandro Pieper, a senior studying political science and minoring in legal studies and criminology, has been involved with College Republicans since his sophomore year, but said he became most active with the group this last semester.

“I wouldn’t say I hold a strong officer position,” Pieper said. “I try and mostly get others involved in gaining campaign experience.”

Pieper said the mission of College Republicans at CSU is to spread the message of the group’s approach to how it believes government should be instrumented to allow Americans to prosper.

“I believe that less government is good for everyone,” Pieper said. “I believe in the American people. We have a hardworking population, and one that has proven itself in innovation and the advancement of society.”

Pieper said being a Republican is important to him, partially because young Republicans are often harassed for believing in a certain approach to solving issues in society.

“For me, the importance of being a Republican college student who is active on this campus is that you stay true to your values and help with the building of a strong community,” Peiper said. “Ultimately, bringing a conservative ideology allows for discussion and debate, similar to why it is important that more liberal students are involved as well.”

In all of this, Morin advises people to stay true to their values and beliefs as opposed to their allegiance to a political side. She said younger people should find groups they want to get involved with and join them.

“Once you figure out your beliefs, morals and values, have a good reason for them,” Morin said. “Do your research and make sure everything you believe is based off of something and that it’s not just a feeling or an instinct. Once you get to that, stick to that regardless as to what the party said.”

Matt Bailey can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @MattBailey760.