Students and professors to attend Democratic National Convention: Students will post daily blogs from convention floor

Two professors from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a group of 14 students will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., as part of The Washington Center’s Campaign 2008 National Political Conventions academic seminar series.

Nancy Kassop, chair of the political science department, and Patricia Sullivan, chair of the department of communication and media, are traveling with the students (seven from New Paltz and seven from other area institutions) to attend a week of academic seminars and lectures in advance of the convention to learn about the political process and the role the event plays in the selection of a party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees. In the second week, students will have a fieldwork placement at the convention, which runs Aug. 25-28. Participating students keep a comprehensive academic journal; write an essay; and read books, articles, and essays; and receive three credits for their experience.

“This is a very rare opportunity for these students to observe and participate in a national political convention,” said James Schiffer, dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences. “Professors Kassop and Sullivan are to be commended for their resourcefulness in developing this wonderful fieldwork experience.”

In addition, the students from New Paltz will be blogging and sending stories from the convention to The Times Herald-Record. The Middletown newspaper arranged for press credentials for the students, who may also be producing video and audio files, as well. To view the student blogs the week of the convention, visit www.recordonline.com.

The group of students from SUNY New Paltz includes the following local students: Iryna McCloskey (Political Science) from New Winsor and Daniel Robbins (Political Science) from Hopewell Junction.

Other New Paltz students attending include Caitlin Armstrong (Political Science); Samuel Copeland (Political Science); Caitlin Finn (Communication); Roger Gilson (Journalism); and Benjamin Schachter (Political Science).

The Washington Center’s active learning programs enable college students, recent graduates and faculty to be a part of history during this crucial election year. Nearly 450 students from 135 colleges and universities will attend either the Democratic National Convention or the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. later this summer as part of The Washington Center’s Campaign 2008 National Political Conventions academic seminar series.

According to The Washington Center (www.campaign2008.info), this year’s participants are among the brightest and most academically talented at their colleges and universities. Most participants were first nominated and approved by their home institution and selected by The Washington Center staff.