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When Hannah Levine ’22 arrived at Salem State University, she expected to further her education, but did not expect to find the place where she would build her voice, her network and her future. Once she began exploring opportunities on campus, everything shifted. “During my first semester, I noticed a flyer for the Civic Engagement Fellowship through the Center for Civic Engagement,” she says. “I decided to apply. That decision completely changed my college experience.”
Through the fellowship, Levine focused on mental health and basic student needs advocacy. She helped develop and lead the SSU Hunger Free Campus Coalition and expanded the university’s food security efforts. Beyond the fellowship, she also represented students on the School of Social Work Curriculum Committee and served on the Academic Policies Committee. She became a Vikings Vote Ambassador with the newly established Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics (Berry IOP), in 2019. Levine helped students register to vote and educate on why civic participation matters. “I wasn’t super into politics at the start of my SSU career, first, but those opportunities really influenced where I am today,” she says.
Levine’s civic engagement deepened when she was selected as Salem State’s first Newman Civic Fellow. “It was an incredible experience,” she says. “I met civic-minded students from across the country and learned about the social action they were leading on their campuses.” This network she built through the fellowship guided her work as a Civic Fellow and student leader at SSU.
The Berry IOP Advantage
The Frederick E. Berry Institute of Politics strengthens civic education and public service engagement across Salem State and the North Shore. It is one of only two institutes of politics in Massachusetts and the only one located at a four-year public institution. It honors the legacy of the late Senator Frederick E. Berry by working to remove barriers and create entry points for students pursuing careers and opportunities in politics, public service and civic leadership.
For Levine, the Berry IOP was a critical part of her college experience. She received several IOP public service stipends that made it possible to accept internships focused on community advocacy and youth mental health. “The IOP’s support allowed me to pursue meaningful experiences that shaped my professional network and career,” she says.
One internship placed her at a community organization in Essex County focused on interfaith advocacy and elevating the voices of those closest to the challenges facing their communities. Another supported her experience with a youth-led mental health organization, where she supported teens developing programs through their peer-to-peer app. Both experiences strengthened her communication skills and helped her understand the interconnection of policy and community work.
From SSU to State Service
As Levine approached graduation, a chance reconnection set her on an unexpected path. She first met Manny Cruz, a State House staffer, during a lobby day as a sophomore. “We exchanged cards, and then a week later the pandemic hit,” she says. They reconnected more than a year later during a campus discussion with State Representative Paul Tucker (D-Salem), on LGBTQ legislation, where Cruz shared that he was looking for a campaign manager. “He has a soft spot for social workers and for people who know how to organize and get things done,” she says.
After some deliberation with mentors and family, Levine accepted the role of campaign manager, still finishing her senior year. “Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” After the successful campaign, Cruz hired her as his legislative aide, a role that reinforced the importance of listening and empathy in public service. “Everyone has a story and something they are fighting for,” she says. Levine also served as legislative aide for State Representative Paul Tucker (D-Salem).
A Return to the Berry IOP
When the assistant director position at the Berry Institute of Politics opened, Levine saw it as a natural return to the place that had shaped her. “I never really left Salem State,” she says. “I stayed connected to my mentors and attended several on-campus events. When I saw this opportunity, I knew I needed to apply.”
Today, she is proud to help lead the institute that once supported her. She oversees programs such as Vikings Vote, the Alternative Spring Break trip to the Massachusetts State House, the Prepared to Lead Workshop Series, and the Berry IOP Fellows Program, which brings public leaders to campus to share their experiences and talents with Salem State students.
“Our students are civically minded, and the Berry IOP amplifies who we are as a campus community, as the Commonwealth’s Civic Engagement University” Levine says. “As the first Hispanic-Serving public institution in Massachusetts and the first IOP at a four-year public higher institution, we provide students with access to knowledge and pathways into public life.”
Levine’s vision for the future is grounded in expanding participation, strengthening partnerships across the Commonwealth and continuing to prepare students for meaningful roles in civic life. “It is not a time to sit on the sidelines,” she says. “I want students to see that there is a place for them to actively engage in our democracy and government, and that those opportunities can change their lives just like they changed mine.”