When Barack Obama was running for president in the New Hampshire primary, Hopkinton’s Erin Thesing devoted hundreds of volunteer hours to help his campaign.

This summer, she will support him in a different way – as an Obama delegate from New Hampshire at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

It’s heady stuff for a 20- year-old University of New Hampshire sophomore involved in her first presidential campaign.

“I’m blown away, really,” said Thesing. “A year-and-ahalf ago, I would never have thought I’d be doing anything like this or be this involved in the campaign.”

Soon after the Illinois senator declared his candidacy in February 2007, Thesing became a devoted Obama supporter. She telephoned voters, help at events and canvassed homes – all part of the unglamorous but necessary “grunt work” of a presidential campaign.

At UNH’s Durham campus, she devoted 10 to 15 hours a week. As an intern in the campaign’s Concord office, she put in long days leading up to the Jan. 8 primary.

“I have a tendency to give 100 percent to things,” she said.

Obama lost the primary to Hillary Clinton, but in Hopkinton he beat her 898-526, and in Durham, he finished well ahead of her, 1,302 to 806.

“I love how committed this kid is,” said Susan Covert, headed of the Obama campaign in Hopkinton. “She put her heart and soul on the line to make a difference.”

Covert said Thesing’s involvement embodies what Obama is all about – getting people excited and drawing them into politics.

“He inspired this young woman and she worked her heart out for him,” she said.

Thesing will be one of 30 delegates and four alternate delegates from New Hampshire at the convention.

Within the delegation, 13 members, including Thesing, include: At-large – former Ambassador Terry Schumaker of Concord (for Hillary Clinton); former state Rep. James Demers of Concord (Barack Obama); Sen. Lou D’Allesandro (Clinton); and Edgar Helms of Concord (Obama). District level delegates – Carol Moore of Concord (Obama); Ann Kuster of Hopkinton (Obama); and Senate President Sylvia Larsen of Concord (Clinton). Among the alternate delegates is City Councilor Rob Werner of Concord (John Edwards).

Superdelegates – Congressman Paul Hodes of Concord (Obama); and Gov. John Lynch (unpledged).

Among the Pages are Whip, Gerri King of Concord; and assistant delegation chairman/liaison to elected leaders, attorney Martin Gross of Concord.

As an at-large delegate, Thesing will gather with thousands of other Democrats in Colorado. There, the party will make history, nominating a woman or black man to run in the 2008 presidential election.

Obama is in a tight race for delegates with Clinton, but Thesing thinks he’ll have secured the party’s nomination by the time the convention opens.

The closest thing to a national convention that Thesing has ever been to was a mock convention four years ago at Hopkinton High School, when she had been assigned to be a delegate for John Edwards.

Prior to Obama entering the 2008 presidential race, Thesing had been passionate about several issues, including environmental protection, but wasn’t enthusiastic about politics. Obama changed that. She likes his position on key issues, such as opposing the war in Iraq and making the fight against global warming a national priority and admires his ability to bring people together to solve problems.

“He’s really been able to engage people, and bring people into the process who’ve never been involved before,” said Thesing, who early in the campaign was impressed as she watched Obama at a roundtable discussion on health care.

“It takes something more than just being a leader and changing policy and pushing through certain legislation. It takes, I think, a fundamental change in our country and in its people to be able to bring about a progressive change,” Thesing said.

At UNH, Thesing displays an Obama campaign button on her book bag and jacket, and campaign signs in her dormitory room. She was one of about 35 UNH students who helped the campaign, and one of their key accomplishments was getting more than 300 out-of-state students to register to vote.

It was frustrating for her to encounter students who were apathetic and weren’t planning to vote. Thesing’s support for the campaign isn’t limited to New Hampshire as she has worked in Massachusetts and Maine, and will soon be helping in Oregon.

Even while devoting hours to the campaign, Thesing has continued to earn high grades at UNH. Volunteering didn’t leave much time for a social life and came with some financial sacrifices.

But Thesing appreciates the unique role New Hampshire plays in the presidential race and the affect she has had.

Thesing is studying anthropology and French, but doesn’t know what she’ll do after she graduates in two years, but hopes to be involved in public issues.

“I think the campaign has made me a life-long activist,” she said.