Published: August 20, 2008 01:36 pm      

Lamar students to attend national political conventions

Special to the Leader



Four Lamar University Honors students will be attending upcoming national political conventions as part of the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars Campaign 2008: The Presidential Academic Seminar Series.

The students learned of the opportunity to attend the conventions through the university’s Honors Program. Donna Birdwell, former director of Lamar’s Honors Program, worked with the students to make sure each could attend the convention of his or her choice.

Caitlin Kruger of Beaumont and Craig Tahaney of Port Arthur will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Aug. 25-28.

Jill Hamilton of Port Neches and Daniel Whitton of Buna will attend the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sept. 1-4.

While at the convention, the students will participate in a self-contained two-week seminar beginning one week prior to the actual convention, according to the Campaign 2008 web site. This seminar is taught as an academic course, complete with instruction, lectures, tours and assignments. During the first week of the seminar, students are introduced to the history of political campaigns and conventions – including the nomination process, convention planning, party organizations and media coverage. Participants are offered opportunities to witness convention preparations and attend campaign rallies and receptions. In the second week, students attend the convention and learn about party platforms, party factions, the selection of candidates, and campaign issues and strategies.

Tahaney, a political science major, said he finds the whole political process exciting. Attending a political convention was an opportunity he could not pass up. “Government is the venue through which the American people’s needs and desires are heard and satisfied - most of the time,” he said. “I hope to learn even more about our democracy at the convention.”

Whitton, a history major, plans to teach high school history and believes this experience will be something he will eventually share with his students. He said he is excited to be attending the Republican convention because it is where the party selects its most visible leader and decides what issues to promote during the election. “I’ll be watching the party leaders define what the Republican Party will be,” he added.

The Washington Center is a nonprofit organization that offers students the opportunity to work and learn in Washington, D.C. for academic credit. Its Campaign 2008 program is a series of four seminars designed to teach students about the presidential election process. The first seminar, a lecture series titled “Inside Washington ’08,” was held in January. The second and third seminars coincide with the Democratic and Republican conventions. The fourth seminar, “The Presidential Inauguration,” will be held in January 2009.