July 02, 2008
St. John’s University, in a collaborative effort between student
organizations represented by the St. John’s University College
Democrats, St. John’s University College Republicans, Student
Government, student leaders, faculty, staff and University
administrators, debuts “PARTICIPATE in ‘08” – a major initiative to
encourage non-partisan voter registration and increase civic
education and engagement in anticipation of the 2008 Presidential
Election in November.
The St. John’s University College Democrats and St. John’s
University College Republicans will sponsor and post interesting
student-driven events as well as academic lectures, guest speakers
and University-sponsored programs on a new web page. This forum will give
their peers and young voters everywhere across the nation a
sounding board in hopes that more and more old and new voters will
PARTICIPATE in ’08 during the general election process. The
“PARTICIPATE in ‘08” web page will contain timely news articles
about the Democratic and Republican campaigns, observations from
both parties as well as political views in the form of blogs and
chats.
“While the University is non-partisan and is strictly prohibited
from intervening in any political campaign, we want to give our
students every opportunity to express their views and concerns
about the 2008 Elections during this most exciting time in our
American history,” said Brian Browne, Assistant Vice President for
Government Relations at St. John’s University. “Twenty nine million
people aged 18-24 will be eligible to vote in 2008, and that data
supports the fact that young voters have the potential to determine
the outcome of this year’s Presidential Election. It is critical
that all students from St. John’s University be informed and
engaged in the political process and that starts with registering
and voting.”
Non-partisan voter registration drives will be scheduled on the
University’s Queens Campus throughout the summer and into early
fall, where voter registration literature (which will include how
to apply for an absentee ballot) will be made available to students
in order to increase participation in the political process.
Major highlights of the “PARTICIPATE in ‘08” initiative will be
held in September, when both student organizations will invite
local candidates to participate in an open forum attended by the
St. John’s University community. The first-ever “St. John’s
University PARTICIPATE in ’08 Candidates Forum will take place on
Monday, September 22nd at 7:00 p.m. at the school’s Queens Campus,
as local elected officials and candidates running for public office
in the upcoming November elections will have a unique opportunity
to speak with students, faculty, administrators and local
residents.
On September 23rd, as part of a Three College Lecture Series
collaboration with St. John’s University, the College of Staten
Island and Wagner College (supported by a grant from the Staten
Island Foundation), Lee Brenner, Executive Producer of Political
Programming & Director of IMPACT, MySpace.com will discuss
internet campaigning and the impact it has on the election process.
This event will kick-off the Three College Lecture Series held at
St. John’s University’s Kelleher Center on the school’s Staten
Island Campus beginning at 5:00 p.m.
A complete schedule of “PARTICIPATE in ’08” events planned by
both student groups in the upcoming months will be highlighted and
found by visiting the web site online at www.stjohns.edu/participatein08.
Interested media representatives can contact Dominic Scianna,
Director of Media Relations at St. John’s University by calling
(718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.