Campus News
Juniata
It’s an unusual college course that complements its final with confetti, balloons and thousands of celebrating delegates, but Juniata’s course “Political Party Conventions,” is not coursework as usual. “It’s an intense experience for the students and an intense experience for me,” says Dennis Plane, associate professor of politics at
Juniata, who organized and offered the course, which sends students to attend the Republican and Democratic national conventions. This fall marked the second time Plane has offered the course. Four years ago a contingent of Juniata students attended the 2008 conventions. Six students attended the Republican convention in Tampa, Fla., and four went to the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, N.C. “I was able to ask (Aaron Brown) about his emotions covering 9/11 and he talked about how he was personally affected by (it), in addition to the rush he felt as a reporter covering the largest event of his lifetime,” wrote blogger rk in
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Elise Mihranian ’14, from Chester Springs, Pa., at the Republican Convention. “It got me thinking about broadcast journalists and how as Carrington Jones ’14 , pos professionals es with Republican icon and 201 2 presidenti they can be candidate N al ewt Gingric h at the Republican put through National C onvention . an emotional wringer.” The second week for the interview. I was so of the course matched delighted when VOA did students up with use the sunflower pots organizations covering I found in the shot with the conventions or her. I also ‘modeled’ in the working at the event. chair to check the lighting Alexis Waksmunski ’15, to make sure it was just of Northern Cambria, Pa., right for her.” wrote of her Democratic Each student blogger Convention experience wrote an op-ed opinion with Voice of America: essay. Elise Mihranian “One day I helped move and Morgan Dux ’15, camera equipment to from Hawley Pa., had a nearby hotel for an their GOP Convention interview with (former op-eds published in secretary of State) the Harrisburg PatriotMadeleine Albright. I News, while others also had to go look for were published in their things in the hotel to hometown papers. decorate the atmosphere
Photos (left): courtesy Dennis Plane; (right) Candice Hersh
Party Time: Politics Students Attend National Conventions