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The convention, which included Democratic students from Penn State University, Temple Universityand Villanova University, spanned April 7-9.

Penn Democrats has not historically kept a close relationship with the Pennsylvania College Democrats, a statewide body with 45 chapters. But this weekend, the two groups came together to make Penn's predominantly liberal campus even bluer.

The convention, whichincluded Democraticstudents from Penn State University, Temple Universityand Villanova University, spanned April 7-9.

It was a really engaging weekend, said Penn Dems President and College sophomore Rachel Pomerantz about the event, which bore the slogan Be the Future.

On Sunday, April 9,internal elections for the PACDexecutive board were held. No Penn students ran for positions.

Penn is not as close with the state organization, because we dont get any money from them, Penn Dems Political Director and Wharton freshman DylanMilligan explained. We dont get any money from them because we dont follow their bylaws. Their bylaws stipulate that you cant endorse a candidate in a Democratic primary that you have to stay neutral.

Penn Dems has not stayed neutral in recent elections.

The organizationendorsed Hillary Clinton in February 2016 and, according to Milligan, will endorse a candidate for Philadelphia DA at some point next week.

These procedural differencesinspired the club to host the convention.

We wanted to host this convention to reassert the fact that we appreciate [PACD] and we like to get along, Milligan said. But were not involved enough to have people running for their executive board.

Outside of the elections, the conference consisted of panels on topicssuch as managinga college Democrats chapter, jumpstartingpolitical careers and tacklingissues such as the economy, health care and LGBTQ rights.

About 150 students registered for the weekend event.

Student politics weren't the only focus at the convention, which featured a debate for the Democratic candidates running for Philadelphia District Attorney.The debate included five out of the seven candidates running for the nomination.

[The]District Attorney is incredibly important for a lot of issues that Democrats, progressives and a lot of college students care about, Pomerantz said. Mass incarceration that starts with how its prosecuted. Police brutality and community relations that starts with how the DAs office conducts itself with the police. Its easy to forget about these things, cause its not sexy compared to a Senate race.

Milligan said the debate swung his allegiance for the election; he had previously supportedLawrence Krasner but is now torn between John O'Neill and Joe Khan, a Penn Law School lecturer.

Despite the event ostensibly featuring like-minded students, Pomerantz and Milligan agreed that the convention still featured a productive diversity in opinion.

The experience of a Penn Dem who is from the Philadelphia area or a big city is really different from a Democrat who goes to a rural college, the Penn Democrats president added.

It was really promising to hear the dialogue that went on, she said.

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Penn Democrats welcome other chapters across Pa. for weekend convention - The Daily Pennsylvanian