University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

Page 26 text:

MIN - STORY BY ASHLEY DAVIDSON H IBIS STAFF PHOTOS BY MARISSA GUTHERZ AND SIMONE BERGER H IBIS STAFF NO LINES, NO HASSLE From the comfort of a Resident Mastefs apartment in the dorms, students watch the candidates battle it out. PHOTO OP The faces of the Democratic Party, Senator Barrack Obama, Senator Hilary Clinton, Former Senator Mike Gravel, Former Senator John Edwards, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Senator Chris Dodd and Governor Bill Richards.

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STORY BY DELIA AREVALO H IBIS STAFF PHOTOS BY VERONICA SHARON W IBIS STAFF nitely ,made us feel welcome, , freshmm KICK OFF C-A-N-E-S: The Class of 2011 learns traditional Cheers and Chants lead by Sebastien. WELCOME FRESHMEN: Vice President Molly Jones and Presi- dent Danny Carvaj a1 lead Student Government in passing out shirts to incoming freshman.

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DEMOCRATIC DEBATE ts become a tradition for me as a University of Miami student to every few years witness a hoard of Secret Service agents swarm down upon campus for yet another presidential debate Within the f1rst month of my freshman year I managed to secure a position as a V01unteer for the Bustherry presidential debate helping oversee various events including the Rat Watch party and Vanessa Car1ton concert. Now, asa senior, I rece1ved a voluhteer 11promot10n and was stationed inside the BankUnited Center for the first presidential debate nationaHy broadcast in Spanish between seven Democratic candidatesr-Foro Presidencial Democraticaea collaborative effort between Univision and UM. As a journahsm major stationed in the 11media room? I was almost tempted to wear a11HIRE ME sign around my neck as I was surrounded by big names such as CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times. While the position was not the most glamorous, the fact I was there,beh1nd the scenes with the media, was a tradition that UM has held in high regard since I arrived on campus in 2004. With 17 million votes on the hue and a potential 44 million Hispanic viewers, I was witnessing history as questions affecting the Hispanic community were fielded in Spanish, translated on screens for the audience, answered in Enghsh, then broadcast in Spanish for Univision viewers. Many topics were covered,1nc1ud1ng education, hea1thcare, employment, the war in Iraq and even Spanish as a second national language, which gave Hispanic and non-Hispanic students alike a glance at the issues effecting the fastest growing m1nor1ty1r1 the United States. Students who are hot b11111gua1 were able to view a live feed from the BankUnited Center at multiple watch parties held at the Rat and various residential colleges. As in the tradition of any event attended by college students, there was plenty of free food to go around. The Lee Lincoln 1ot between Car1110 and San Amaro at Ponce de Leon thext t0 Mahoney1Pearson1 was a meeting place for candidate supporters before the forum. In 2004, only 400 debate tickets were offered to students and now, 111 2007, nearly 50 percent of the 3,500 audience members were students. In the years following my graduation, I can only imagine that UM W111 continue its growing tradition of po11t1ca1 fervor and student involvement. ------ 0 the event chose to MUST WATCHING Students t SETING UP CAMP Students wait outside the Bank United Ce seeing the leading Democratic Candidates.