Former VP Mike Pence encourages UNCW students to ‘show up and get involved’

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — “To young people, what I always tell them, is just, you know, find the party that most aligns with what you believe, what your ideals and your values are and just go show up, show up and get involved.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence visited UNCW on Monday evening as part of the Chancellor’s Dare to learn lecture series.

During his talk, Pence spoke about his early years in politics, from originally being a Democrat who voted for Jimmy Carter to his career as a Republican, which included becoming a Congressional leader, Governor of Indiana, and Vice President.

“Politics is more divided than in any other time in my lifetime,” Pence said. “And so that’s why I’ve tried to be a voice and tried to encourage friends in my party, rising leaders in my party and old colleagues in the other party to say lets, let’s stop talking past each other and at each other and start listening to each other.”

Pence’s visit comes just over a month after the assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah.

Pence feels younger generations are pushing for a better America.

“I have sensed that something is happening among young people in the country today, that are reaching for a higher standard. I, truly do believe the American people long for us to restore a threshold of civility.”

He spoke about his time in the White House.

“Didn’t end the way I wanted to, but I’m incredibly proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration and I’m proud of the relationship President Trump and I had. We were friends, we had a close working relationship and we accomplished some incredible things.”

And while he did not endorse Trump’s 2024 run, he is grateful for some things that have happened since January.

“I rejoice in the news today, all 20 living Israeli hostages have been returned to their families thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump.”

UNCW freshman Vance Bowersock would have preferred to hear Pence speak more about what’s happening now, rather than how he talked about what happened in the past.

“I honestly thought it was gonna be more about current affairs,” Bowersock said. “With the current Trump presidency and how the last one ended, he was very cagey about it, I feel, he kind of dodged, he PR’ed his way around those questions.”

UNCW College Republican President Reagan Faulkner met with Pence before the event, and Pence even spoke about her during the lecture.

She said this was a great opportunity for UNCW.

“I would encourage the university to bring anybody, whether they’re Republican or Democrat. I think that everybody that’s been in D.C. or served in any leadership position has a lot of wisdom to offer young students and young leaders.”

Past speakers for the series include Republican political strategist Karl Rove and Democratic Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly.