Jesse Monoski – Running for a seat in the PA State House
As chapter Rex, Jesse Monoski ’16 (Temple) chaired meetings, delivered speeches, made tough decisions, and swore in new members “with liberty and fraternity for all.” But he never expected that his fraternity experiences would have an impact his future aspirations as a public servant.
After a decade of combined local and state government service, Jesse recently announced that he is throwing his hat in the ring for a seat in the PA House of Representatives for the 103rd District, serving the Harrisburg area.
The path to politics
Jesse was initially inspired by his Civics and History teachers in high school. As a Poli Sci major at Temple, he got his first real taste for the democratic process when he volunteered for local campaigns.
He started to see a more plausible future in politics when he worked on the campaign of Congressman Dwight Evans. He made important contacts that led to a paid position as a Deputy Field Director with State Senator John Sabaina, Jr., where he made $100 per week. Clearly, he wasn’t in it for the money.
Jesse continued building his resume, progressively gaining experience and assuming more responsibility under Senate Democratic Minority Leader Jay Costa, and the Chairwoman of the Senate’s Consumer Protection & Profession Licensure Committee, State Senator Lisa Boscola, where he served the Democratic Caucus as an Executive Director.
Campaign for Councilman
Ultimately Jesse chose his career to help the people in his community. And after being behind the scenes influencing policy for many years, he was asked to run for a position on the Lemoyne Borough Council in 2019.
He was the top vote getter in the election and has served the borough of 5,000 residents faithfully. As councilman, he managed the everyday services that are most important to the families in Lemoyne: traffic, trash contracts, utilities, police, fire, zoning, and property taxes. He was re-elected twice.
Pilam’s influence on his development
Jesse said of his introduction to fraternities, “I never really thought about joining, but somebody invited me to a BBQ.” He didn’t expect much more than a free meal, but added, “The guys I met weren’t the stereotypical ‘frat’ guys. We had laughs, but they were also relatable and genuine. I got a feeling that they could help push me to be a better person, and at that’s what I needed.”
“When I joined Pilam, it built my confidence. As a leader, I learned to speak comfortably in front of a group and how to win people over with common sense ideas.”
Jesse also had the Pilam network. He had an influential Pilam brother in his field, State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, who has been called a “rising star” in the Democratic party. Jesse said, “Malcolm was a few years older than me, but he was a mentor who was generous with his time. He was always open and honest and will always pick up my calls.”
Running for State Rep
In 2024, Jesse decided to run for the open seat in the PA House of Representatives in Harrisburg. While raising his two girls and balancing his other responsibilities, Jesse goes door to door talking to his constituents.
Jesse is optimistic about his chances as a Cumberland County native who is a true middle class candidate with favorable name recognition and a resume of service to his community.
His campaign will focus on defending Pennsylvania’s pro-choice laws, advocating for increased support for senior benefits programs, and fighting for more affordable, high-quality childcare. If you’d like more information, or to support his campaign, visit ElectJesse.org.
Pilam Legacy
Jesse married his grade school sweetheart, Sydney, and has two daughters, Jordan and Lainey. His fraternity brothers were his groomsman, and his relationships with his Pilam brothers is still as strong as ever. These days they get together to attend their kids birthday parties.