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News Wednesday, September 19, 2012 • page 10 Campus political groups revise agendas in time for election season Melissa Kansky News Editor The College Democrats and Col lege Republicans advocate for oppos ing candidates, but the Elon Univer sity chapters still share one common goal. “We want discussion,” said junior Patrick Brown, president of the Col lege Republicans. “Our goal is not to lock people into one side or another, but our age group is known for not voting, so we just want to get people engaged.” Junior Jordan Thomas, president of the College Democrats, named voter registration as the primary mis sion for the student organization. “I think our organization’s activi ty this semester is important because it’s focused around bringing people aware of the upcoming campaign,” Thomas said. Although both organizations have been fairly inactive the past two years, the 2012 national election has inspired them to increase their pres ence on campus. “The biggest thing that affects voting is education,” Brown said. “Those with more education are more likely to vote.” Thomas expressed a similar opin ion and said he expects the student body to be politically active in this election. “A college campus is a nice place for change in general and a lot of ideas continue to grow on a college campus,” he said. “I think the major ity of students will vote in this elec tion if they are able to.” In order to cultivate an atmo sphere of political awareness, the or ganizations are working together to conduct a debate involving students on campus. “The main goal is to inform Elon smdents of the issues on campus and presidential issues,” Thomas said. ■ Although Thomas said he be lieves the more people hear about the economy, the more inclinded indi viduals wLU be to vote for Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Neverthe less, other crucial issues will attract the young voter populations to the Democratic Party, Thomas said. He named social rights, health care and international relations as other sig nificant issues during this election. Nevertheless, Brown said the per ception of college students’ political views are misleading, believing more college students support the Repub lican Party than typically expressed. “I think a lot of college students rally support and sympathize with the Republican ideals of hope and success through hard work,” Brown said. “I think that speaks to college students everyday. We’re doing a lot of things to advance our life.” To further raise support for their respective party. College Republicans are also working with Turbo Vote to increase voter registration among Elon students and have extended their activity into the surrounding National Convention internships experience major political events Rachel Southmayd Senior Reporter While many Elon University students were getting settled into the routine of a new school year, others were hundreds of miles away, adjusting to the rhythm of the national con ventions. Through Elon’s partnership with the Abrtl; C:,. One licket Ten Rides One Low Price ■■ MULTI ■H RIDER 10 .de ticket as lets a«>: - . OOPO $89 Xf»lh ( ttrolhkfs AMTBAIC bytrain.org Travel Anytime. Washington Center, juniors Jack Minor and GabrieUe McCarthy secured internship posi tions at the Repubhean National Convention and the Democratic National Convention, respectively. Minor, a broadcast journalism and political science double major, was paired with the New York Post. During the week leading up to the convention. Minor participated in a seminar. Then, from Aug. 27-30, he received his assign ment and began field work. “I was very excited,” Minor said. “I knew it was going to be a great opportunity.” While the convention activities were going on. Minor said the Post assigned him to cover different events, such as speakers, concerts and delegate parties. One of his stories earned him a byline in the Post, and Reuters also picked it up. But Minor said one of his best experi ences was working as a runner for United Press International on the night of Repubhean can didate Mitt Romney’s presidential nomination acceptance speech. “Basically, what I was doing for them was running memory cards,” he said. “But the cool est thing about that is I was literally right at the bottom of the stage for Mitt Romney’s speech and Sen. Marco Rubio’s speech.” McCarthy also had a few celebrity encoun ters during her time as an intern for Eox News at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. She worked as a production assistant and runner, working for Shepard Smith, Juan Williams and Mike Emmanuel. Initially, McCarthy said she was concerned about working for Fox News because of the overtly conservative stigma attached to it, but community. Students involved in the organization are working with the Alamance Republican Party and the Victory Office in Burlington to help promote the Republican candidate and generate networking opportuni ties, according to Brown. Similarly, the College Democrats plan to participate in College Coffee weekly, organize a watch party dur- i ing the presidential debates and col laborate with other student groups. But the politically-focused orga nizations are planning programs in addition to those dedicated to the 2012 election, such as social activi ties. “We’re trying to do things so that it will not only be a political organi zation,” Brown said. PHOTO SUBMITTED Junior Jack Minor poses with Megyn Keily of Fox News. interns set aside political feehngs when they were working to prevent biased reporting. Minor said he hked how being in the con vention let him meet all kinds of people and hear their stories and opinions. “It’s important to keep an open mind and network with everyone there,” he said. For McCarthy, the convention trip meant getting to see one of her idols: former President Bill Chnton. “He’s someone that I have admired for most of my life and to seem him speak live and in person was something I’U never forget,” she said.
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