Spring Break
The Daily OrangeStudents meet prominent Democrats
By Tory Marlin
Posted: 8/28/08, 2:27 AM EST Section: News
Syracuse University student Michelle McClafferty dined with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton Tuesday morning. Earlier in the week, SU student Kevin Eggleston traded campaign buttons with members of the media at Six Flags in Denver.
Both Eggleston and McClafferty are spending the first week of classes at the Democratic National Convention, getting a different kind of education.
"It's very much about experiential learning," said McClafferty, a senior policy studies, religion and sociology major. "We hardly ever spend any time in a classroom."
Eggleston and McClafferty join SU alumni, staff members and students at the convention, which began on Monday and will end tonight. These SU community members are participating in the convention as delegates, members of the press and volunteers.
"I was really fascinated to see all the political players come together and to be a part of it," said Eggleston, junior television, radio, film and political science major and Daily Orange political columnist.
Eggleston and McClafferty are participants in a program run by The Washington Center, a non-profit educational organization. Students in this program listen to speakers, attend seminars and complete a fieldwork requirement at the convention.
Eggleston and McClafferty are honors students who were chosen to attend the convention with The Washington Center based on essays explaining why they wanted to participate.
Eric Holzwarth, deputy director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, said both are "terrific students," and they demonstrated the "capacity to gain a great deal from this experience."
The honors program teamed up with programs within The College of Arts and Sciences to fund the students' trip to Denver.
"There's nothing like being there and being involved to see it from the inside," Holzwarth said.
Eggleston was assigned as an intern to a New York City newspaper for the week.
"I think the coolest thing is being in the media and seeing how it's run," he said.
Both Eggleston and McClafferty are spending the first week of classes at the Democratic National Convention, getting a different kind of education.
"It's very much about experiential learning," said McClafferty, a senior policy studies, religion and sociology major. "We hardly ever spend any time in a classroom."
Eggleston and McClafferty join SU alumni, staff members and students at the convention, which began on Monday and will end tonight. These SU community members are participating in the convention as delegates, members of the press and volunteers.
"I was really fascinated to see all the political players come together and to be a part of it," said Eggleston, junior television, radio, film and political science major and Daily Orange political columnist.
Eggleston and McClafferty are participants in a program run by The Washington Center, a non-profit educational organization. Students in this program listen to speakers, attend seminars and complete a fieldwork requirement at the convention.
Eggleston and McClafferty are honors students who were chosen to attend the convention with The Washington Center based on essays explaining why they wanted to participate.
Eric Holzwarth, deputy director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, said both are "terrific students," and they demonstrated the "capacity to gain a great deal from this experience."
The honors program teamed up with programs within The College of Arts and Sciences to fund the students' trip to Denver.
"There's nothing like being there and being involved to see it from the inside," Holzwarth said.
Eggleston was assigned as an intern to a New York City newspaper for the week.
"I think the coolest thing is being in the media and seeing how it's run," he said.
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