▁Mand le ▁( prof essor ▁of ▁econom ics ▁at ▁Col gate ) ▁and ▁Joan ▁Mand le ▁( associ ate ▁professor ▁of ▁soci ology , ▁anth rop ology ▁and ▁women ' s ▁studies ▁at ▁Col gate ), ▁created ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Col gate ▁University ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁test ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters ▁chapter , ▁and ▁after ▁a ▁successful ▁first ▁year , ▁multiple ▁other ▁chap ters ▁were ▁established ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁Among ▁the ▁oldest ▁chap ters ▁are ▁those ▁at ▁V ass ar ▁College , ▁Brown ▁University , ▁Sy rac use ▁University , ▁and ▁St . ▁Lawrence ▁University . ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁of ▁organization ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters , ▁unlike ▁similar ▁peer ▁organizations , ▁focus es ▁on ▁a ▁bottom - up ▁approach ▁to ▁political ▁change . ▁The ▁organization ▁see ks ▁to ▁emp ower ▁and ▁activ ate ▁college ▁students ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁fight ▁for ▁campaign ▁fin ance ▁reform . ▁Tow ards ▁this ▁end , ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters ▁offers ▁an ▁intern ship ▁program . ▁When ▁a ▁student ▁is ▁selected ▁as ▁an ▁intern , ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters ▁offers ▁individually - craft ed ▁training ▁in ▁political ▁organ izing , ▁theory , ▁and ▁communication . ▁Once ▁students ▁have ▁under g one ▁pre lim inary ▁training , ▁they ▁sets ▁forth ▁to ▁create ▁( or ▁maintain ▁if ▁already ▁existence ) ▁a ▁Dem ocracy ▁Mat ters ▁chapter ▁at ▁their ▁university . ▁In ▁this ▁function , ▁they ▁over see ▁groups ▁of ▁other ▁student ▁activ ists ▁committed ▁to ▁getting ▁big ▁money ▁out